Wilfredo León facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wilfredo León
León in 2024
Personal information
Full name	Wilfredo León Venero
Nickname	Leo
Nationality	Cuban, Polish
Born	(1993-07-31) 31 July 1993 (age 32) Santiago, Cuba
Height	2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Weight	96 kg (212 lb)
Spike	385 cm (152 in)
Block	346 cm (136 in)
Volleyball information
Position	Outside hitter
Current team	LUK Lublin
Number	9
Career
Years Teams 2005–2010 Capitalinos 2010–2013 Orientales de Santiago 2014–2018 Zenit Kazan 2015 Al Rayyan 2016 Al Rayyan 2018–2024 Sir Safety Perugia 2024– LUK Lublin
National team
2007–2012 Cuba 2019– Poland
Honours Men's volleyball Representing  Cuba FIVB World Championship Silver 2010 Italy FIVB World Grand Champions Cup Silver 2009 Japan FIVB World League Bronze 2012 Sofia Pan American Games Silver 2011 Guadalajara NORCECA Championship Gold 2009 Puerto Rico Gold 2011 Puerto Rico Representing  Poland Olympic Games Silver 2024 Paris Team FIVB World Cup Silver 2019 Japan FIVB Nations League Gold 2023 Gdańsk Silver 2021 Rimini Bronze 2024 Łódź CEV European Championship Gold 2023 Italy/Bulgaria/North Macedonia/Israel Bronze 2019 Belgium/France/Netherlands/Slovenia Bronze 2021 Poland/Czechia/Estonia/Finland

Wilfredo León's handprints and signature in Katowice

Wilfredo León Venero is a famous professional volleyball player. He was born on July 31, 1993. He plays as an outside hitter, which is a key position in volleyball. Currently, he plays for the Polish club Bogdanka LUK Lublin.

Wilfredo was born in Cuba. He played for the Cuban national team from 2007 to 2012. Later, he started representing Poland in international games. Many people think he is one of the best volleyball players ever. He helped Cuba win a silver medal at the 2010 World Championship. Experts often call him one of the leaders of Cuba's "Generation of Miracle" in volleyball.

About Wilfredo León's Life

Wilfredo León was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba. His birthday is July 31, 1993. His parents are Wilfredo León Hechavarría and Alina Venero Boza. His mother was also a volleyball player!

Wilfredo studied at the National School of Cuban Volleyball. He lived in Poland for some time. On June 24, 2016, he married Małgorzata. They have three children together. Their first daughter was born in May 2017. Their son was born in November 2019. Their second daughter was born in June 2023.

Wilfredo León's Volleyball Journey

Starting Young

Wilfredo started playing volleyball when he was only seven years old. His first coach was his own mother, Alina. He joined the Cuban national team very early. He made his debut on May 24, 2008, in Düsseldorf. He was just 14 years and 10 months old!

Early Success with Cuba

In 2009, Wilfredo won the "Best Receiver" award at the World League. On his 16th birthday, July 31, 2009, he won a silver medal. This was at the World U21 Championship. Cuba lost to Brazil in the final.

Later in 2009, the Cuban team, with Wilfredo, won the NORCECA Championship. He also won three individual awards there. They won this championship again in 2011. In 2010, Cuba won a silver medal at the World Championship. Wilfredo was the youngest captain of the national team at just 17 years old. In 2012, he helped Cuba win a bronze medal at the World League.

Playing for Clubs and Poland

In 2013, Wilfredo decided to play for clubs outside Cuba. This meant he could no longer play for the Cuban national team. In 2014, he joined the Russian club Zenit Kazan. With Zenit Kazan, he won many important titles. These included the CEV Champions League and national championships. He also played for the Qatar club Al Rayyan in 2015 and 2016.

In September 2018, Wilfredo joined the Italian team SIR Safety Perugia. He continued to achieve great success there. On July 14, 2015, Wilfredo became a Polish citizen. Five years later, he was able to play for the Polish national team. He has been a key player for Poland ever since.

Recent Achievements

Wilfredo León continues to be a top player. On August 10, 2024, he won a silver medal. This was at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. He is known for his incredibly powerful serves. He once served the ball at 138 kilometers per hour!

Wilfredo León's Awards and Honors

Wilfredo León has won many awards throughout his career.

Club Achievements

• CEV Champions League (Europe's top club competition)
  • Won four times with Zenit Kazan: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18
• FIVB Club World Championship (World's top club competition)
  • Won with Zenit Kazan in 2017
  • Won with Sir Safety Perugia in 2022 and 2023
• CEV Challenge Cup
  • Won with Bogdanka LUK Lublin in 2024–25
• Domestic Championships and Cups
  • Cuban Championship: 2008–09, 2009–10 (with Capitalinos), 2010–11 (with Orientales de Santiago)
  • Russian Championship: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 (with Zenit Kazan)
  • Russian Cup: 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 (with Zenit Kazan)
  • Russian SuperCup: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 (with Zenit Kazan)
  • Italian Championship: 2023–24 (with Sir Safety Perugia)
  • Italian Cup: 2018–19, 2021–22, 2023–24 (with Sir Safety Perugia)
  • Italian SuperCup: 2019–20, 2020–21, 2022–23, 2023–24 (with Sir Safety Perugia)
  • Polish Championship: 2024–25 (with Bogdanka LUK Lublin)

Individual Awards

Wilfredo has also won many awards for his personal performance:

• Best Server: 2009 FIVB World League
• Best Spiker: 2009 and 2011 NORCECA Championship
• Most Valuable Player (MVP): 2009 NORCECA Championship, 2011 Pan American Games, 2015 and 2016 CEV Champions League, 2023 CEV European Championship
• Best Outside Spiker: Many times in CEV Champions League and FIVB Club World Championship

State Awards

• 2024: He received the Knight's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta. This is a very important award in Poland.

See also

In Spanish: Wilfredo León para niños