Lucas Leiva facts for kids
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Lucas lining up for Lazio in 2018
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date of birth | 9 January 1987 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.79 m | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Defensive midfielder | |||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2003 | Amparo | |||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | Grêmio | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 2005–2007 | Grêmio | 66 | (1) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2017 | Liverpool | 247 | ||||||||||||||
| 2017–2022 | Lazio | 155 | (2) | |||||||||||||
| 2022–2023 | Grêmio | 18 | (3) | |||||||||||||
| Total | 486 | (15) | ||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 2007 | Brazil U20 | 9 | (4) | |||||||||||||
| 2008 | Brazil U23 | 7 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 2007–2013 | Brazil | 24 | (0) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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Lucas Pezzini Leiva (born on January 9, 1987), known simply as Lucas or Lucas Leiva, is a Brazilian former professional footballer. He played as a defensive midfielder for famous clubs like Grêmio, Liverpool, and Lazio. He also played for the Brazilian national team.
Lucas started his career at Grêmio in Brazil. He quickly became a star, winning the Campeonato Gaúcho in 2006 and 2007. In July 2007, he moved to Liverpool in England, where he played for ten years. During his time there, he played 347 matches and won the League Cup in 2012. He was known for being great at tackling, leading the Premier League in tackles per game five times.
After Liverpool, he joined Lazio in Italy in 2017. Lucas also played for Brazil's national team from 2007 to 2013, earning 24 caps. He won a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics and captained the under-20 team to victory in 2007.
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Grêmio
Lucas was born in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. He began his football journey as a midfielder at Grêmio in 2005. The next year was very successful for him. Grêmio won the Rio Grande do Sul state championship, which they hadn't won since 2001. They also finished third in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A.
Lucas made history by becoming the youngest player ever to win the Bola de Ouro (Golden Ball). This award is given to the best player in the Campeonato Brasileiro. Famous players like Zico and Kaká had won it before him. His amazing performances in 2006 caught the eye of many big European clubs. In the end, Liverpool was the club he chose. On May 13, 2007, Liverpool confirmed they had signed him for about £6 million.
Time at Liverpool
Joining the Reds
On July 26, 2007, Lucas was officially introduced as a Liverpool player. He was allowed to play in the final of the Barclays Asia Trophy right away. By November, his manager, Rafael Benítez, started giving Lucas more chances to play in the midfield. Lucas scored his first goal for Liverpool on January 27, 2008. It was a fantastic shot from 25 yards out during an FA Cup match. He became the first Brazilian player to score for Liverpool.
The 2008–09 season was a big moment for Lucas. He started well, scoring in a friendly game. He also played for the Brazilian Olympic Team in the Beijing Olympics, where he won a bronze medal. His manager, Benítez, believed Lucas would improve a lot because he was a very professional player.
Facing Challenges and Proving Himself
However, Lucas faced some tough times. Fans sometimes booed him after disappointing games. His manager, Benítez, strongly defended him, saying that people didn't understand how good Lucas really was. Benítez reminded everyone that Lucas had been captain for Grêmio and Brazil's youth team. He also pointed out that it was hard to get a starting spot with players like Javier Mascherano, Steven Gerrard, and Xabi Alonso in the team.
Lucas's performances improved in December 2008. He received a lot of praise, especially after helping Liverpool win 5–1 against Newcastle United. On March 14, Lucas played a key role in Liverpool's 4–1 win over Manchester United. On April 14, he scored a goal against Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League. On May 3, 2009, Lucas scored his first Premier League goal against Newcastle United.
Becoming a Key Player
In 2010, Lucas scored another European goal for Liverpool in the UEFA Europa League. Before the 2010–11 season, he was made captain of a young Liverpool team in a friendly match. He scored his sixth goal for Liverpool in a Europa League group stage match against Steaua București. In May 2011, Lucas was given the Liverpool Player of the Year Award. He also signed a new long-term contract with the club.
Sadly, his 2011–12 season ended early on December 1, 2011. He suffered a serious knee injury during a match against Chelsea. On April 10, 2013, Lucas signed another new deal with Liverpool. He played consistently in the 2013–14 season as Liverpool challenged for the league title. His good form even led to him being called back to the Brazilian national team.
Final Years at Anfield
In the 2014–15 Premier League season, Lucas was sometimes in and out of the team. However, he made a strong comeback in a Champions League game against Ludogorets. His good form continued, and he became an important part of the team. On January 26, 2016, Lucas played his 300th game for Liverpool. He even captained the team in a Premier League match against Crystal Palace.
On February 28, 2016, Lucas played as a central defender in the 2016 Football League Cup Final. Liverpool lost the final to Manchester City in a penalty shootout. On January 18, 2017, Lucas scored his first goal for the club since 2010 in an FA Cup match. The end of that season marked Lucas's tenth year as a Liverpool player. He received a special award from club legend Kenny Dalglish to celebrate this milestone.
Moving to Lazio
On July 18, 2017, Lucas moved to Serie A club Lazio in Italy for £5 million. This ended his ten-year journey with Liverpool.
Success in Italy
Lucas made his first official appearance for Lazio on August 13, 2017. It was in a 3–2 win over Juventus in the Supercoppa Italiana (Italian Super Cup). He scored his first goal for Lazio in a Europa League game. On March 15, 2018, Lucas scored an important goal in a 2–0 win against Dynamo Kyiv in the Europa League. This win helped Lazio reach the quarter-finals.
He also scored his first league goal for Lazio on March 18, 2018, in a 1–1 draw with Bologna. He finished the season having played 50 matches and was named Lazio's Player of the Year. He also won the Coppa Italia in 2019 and the Supercoppa Italiana in 2017 and 2019 with Lazio.
Return to Grêmio and Retirement
On June 27, 2022, Lucas returned to his first club, Grêmio. He signed a contract until December 2023. However, on March 17, 2023, Lucas announced his retirement from professional football. This decision was made after doctors found a heart issue in December of the previous year.
International Career
Lucas was the captain of the Brazilian under-20 team. He led them to win the 2007 South American Youth Championship, scoring four goals. He was supposed to play in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, but an injury kept him from joining the team.
In October 2006, Lucas was called up to the senior Brazilian squad for friendly matches. He made his unofficial debut for Brazil on October 7, 2006. His first official international cap for Brazil was on August 22, 2007, in a friendly game against Algeria.
In June 2008, Lucas was part of the Brazil squad for an Olympic warm-up match. On August 19, Lucas received a red card in the 2008 Olympics semi-final match against Argentina. Brazil lost that match 3–0. Lucas later played the full 90 minutes in a friendly against the United States on August 10, 2010. On July 17, 2011, Lucas was shown a red card in the 2011 Copa América quarter-final against Paraguay. Brazil went on to lose that match on penalties.
Playing Style
Lucas mainly played as a defensive midfielder. This means he helped protect the defense and win the ball back from opponents. He was also able to play as a temporary centre back when needed.
Personal Life
Lucas is the nephew of a former Brazilian footballer named Leivinha. He also has an Italian passport because his family came from Italy. Besides his native Portuguese, Lucas can also speak English, Spanish, and Italian.
Honours and Awards
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Lucas won many awards and trophies throughout his career:
Club Trophies
- Grêmio
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série B: 2005
- Campeonato Gaúcho: 2006, 2007
- Liverpool
- Football League Cup: 2011–12
- Lazio
- Coppa Italia: 2018–19
- Supercoppa Italiana: 2017, 2019
International Medals
- Brazil Olympic football team
- Bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.
Individual Awards
- Bola de Ouro (Best Player in Brazilian League): 2006
- Liverpool Player of the Year: 2010–11
- Lazio Player of the Season: 2017–18, 2018–19
