Leo Franco Facts for Kids

"Leonardo Franco" redirects here. For the Mexican footballer, see Leonardo Franco (Mexican footballer).

Quick facts for kids
Leo Franco
Personal information
Franco in 2009
Date of birth	(1977-05-20) 20 May 1977 (age 48)
Place of birth	San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Argentina
Height	1.88 m
Playing position	Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps^†	(Gls)^†
1995–1997	Independiente	2	(0)
1997–1998	Mérida	0	(0)
1998–1999	Mallorca B	23	(0)
1999–2004	Mallorca	148	(0)
2004–2009	Atlético Madrid	153	(0)
2009–2010	Galatasaray	26	(0)
2010–2014	Zaragoza	67	(0)
2014–2015	San Lorenzo	3	(0)
2015–2016	Huesca	28	(0)
Total		450	(0)
National team
1997	Argentina U20	6	(0)
2004–2006	Argentina	4	(0)
Teams managed
2018	Huesca
Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only. † Appearances (Goals).

Leonardo "Leo" Neoren Franco (born 20 May 1977) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, and is a manager.

After starting out at Independiente in 1995, he went on to spend the vast majority of his career in Spain, playing 328 La Liga matches over 14 seasons in representation of Mallorca, Atlético Madrid and Zaragoza.

An Argentine international for two years, Franco appeared for the nation at the 2006 World Cup.

Club career
International career
Career statistics
- Club
- International
Managerial statistics
Honours
See also

Club career

Born in San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Buenos Aires Province, Franco started his career at Club Atlético Independiente, moving at the age of 20 to Spain with CP Mérida where he did not appear in La Liga, barred by Carlos Navarro Montoya and suffering team relegation. In the following year he joined RCD Mallorca, spending his first season with their reserves and again dropping down a tier, now in Segunda División.

Franco would be however promoted to the Balearic Islands club's first team, going on to establish himself as the starter after replacing compatriot Carlos Roa in the pecking order. In the 2000–01 campaign he appeared in 27 matches as Mallorca finished in a best-ever third position, and helped win the Copa del Rey two years after.

Franco was signed by Atlético Madrid in June 2004, being first choice from the beginning. Until the end of 2007–08 he saved seven penalties, including two against Sevilla FC on 23 March 2006 (0–1 home loss) and two more at Real Betis on 2 December (1–0 win). Precisely during that season, he was challenged by newly signed Christian Abbiati (loaned by AC Milan), but regained his starting status in 2008–09, relegating veteran Grégory Coupet to the bench.

On 1 July 2009, aged 32, after not seeing his contract renewed, Franco left the Vicente Calderón Stadium – as Coupet– and signed with Galatasaray S.K. from Turkey. His first Süper Lig appearance took place on 9 August, in a 3–2 away victory over Gaziantepspor.

Franco returned to Spain after only one year, joining Real Zaragoza on a two-year deal. He made his competitive debut on 29 August 2010, in a 0–0 draw at Deportivo de La Coruña.

Franco left Aragon in the summer of 2014, and subsequently moved to San Lorenzo de Almagro. On 24 July 2015, after appearing rarely, he moved to SD Huesca, newly promoted to the Spanish second tier.

On 19 August 2016, Franco announced his retirement at the age of 39 and was immediately named director of external relations at his last club. On 29 May 2018, he replaced the departing Rubi as first-team manager in view of their first-ever season in the top flight, being dismissed on 9 October due to poor results.

International career

With the Argentina under-20 team, Franco won the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia. On 6 May 2006, two years after making his debut for the senior side, he was selected by coach José Pekerman – also the manager of the under-20s – to the squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

On 30 June 2006, Franco replaced the injured Roberto Abbondanzieri in the quarter-final clash against hosts Germany, failing to save one single penalty shootout attempt.

Career statistics

Club

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			Cup		Europe		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Independiente	1995–96	Argentine Primera División	1	0	–		–		1	0
	1996–97	Argentine Primera División	1	0	–		–		1	0
	Total		2	0	0	0	0	0	2	0
Mérida	1997–98	La Liga	0	0	–		–		0	0
Mallorca B	1998–99	Segunda División	23	0	–		–		23	0
Mallorca	1999–00	La Liga	30	0	2	0	7	0	39	0
	2000–01		27	0	5	0	–		32	0
	2001–02		22	0	1	0	7	0	30	0
	2002–03		36	0	6	0	–		42	0
	2003–04		33	0	2	0	3	0	38	0
	Total		148	0	16	0	17	0	181	0
Atlético Madrid	2004–05	La Liga	37	0	7	0	5	0	49	0
	2005–06		34	0	2	0	–		36	0
	2006–07		32	0	2	0	–		34	0
	2007–08		18	0	–		3	0	21	0
	2008–09		32	0	1	0	8	0	41	0
	Total		153	0	12	0	16	0	181	0
Galatasaray	2009–10	Süper Lig	26	0	0	0	11	0	37	0
Zaragoza	2010–11	La Liga	23	0	0	0	0	0	23	0
	2011–12		0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
	2012–13		4	0	6	0	0	0	10	0
	2013–14	Segunda División	40	0	0	0	0	0	19	0
	Total		67	0	6	0	0	0	73	0
San Lorenzo	2014	Argentine Primera División	0	0	1	0	–		1	0
	2015	Argentine Primera División	3	0	1	0	–		4	0
	Total		3	0	2	0	0	0	5	0
Huesca	2015–16	Segunda División	28	0	1	0	–		29	0
Career total			450	0	37	0	44	0	531	0

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps
Argentina	2004	1
	2005	2
	2006	1
Total		4

Managerial statistics

Managerial record by team and tenure
Team	Nat	From	To	Record								Ref
Team	Nat	From	To	G	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Win %	Ref
Huesca		3 June 2018	9 October 2018	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	−11	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.50000012.50
Total				&&&&&&&&&&&&&&08.&&&&&08	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&01.&&&&&01	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&02.&&&&&02	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&05.&&&&&05	&&&&&&&&&&&&&&07.&&&&&07	&&&&&&&&&&&&&018.&&&&&018	−11	&&&&&&&&&&&&&012.50000012.50	—