Léo (footballer, born 1988)

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Simões and the second or paternal family name is de Lacerda.

Leonardo Renan Simões de Lacerda (born 30 January 1988), commonly known as Léo, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a central defender.

Léo

Léo with Palmeiras in 2010
Personal information
Full name	Leonardo Renan Simões de Lacerda
Date of birth	(1988-01-30) 30 January 1988 (age 37)
Place of birth	Belo Horizonte, Brazil
Height	1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)	Centre back
Youth career
2000–2007	Grêmio
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2009	Grêmio	81	(6)
2010	Palmeiras	19	(2)
2010–2021	Cruzeiro	300	(15)
2022	Chapecoense	29	(2)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 11 October 2022

Club career

Grêmio

Born in Contagem, Minas Gerais, Léo joined Grêmio's youth setup at the age of 12.^[1] He made his first team – and Série A – debut on 25 July 2007, coming on as a first-half substitute for Itaqui in a 2–0 away win over Náutico.^[2]

Léo scored his first professional goal for Grêmio on 16 September 2007, netting the winner in a 1–0 home success over rivals Internacional.^[3] He then became a regular starter for the side, and helped the club finish second in the 2008 Série A.

Palmeiras

On 18 December 2009, Léo moved to fellow top tier side Palmeiras on a five-year contract, with Maurício moving in the opposite direction on loan; Grêmio also saw R$ 6.5 million of a R$8 million debt being discounted on the move.^[4] He made his club debut the following 16 January, starting and scoring his team's second in a 5–1 Campeonato Paulista home routing of Mogi Mirim.^[5]

Léo began the season as a starter, but was subsequently overtaken by Maurício Ramos and Edinho.

Cruzeiro

On 13 August 2010, Léo moved to Cruzeiro for a fee of R$1 million plus Leandro Amaro.^[6] Initially a backup to Edcarlos and Gil, he subsequently became a regular starter in the 2011 season onwards, when both left the club.

Léo was also a part of the Cruzeiro squad which won two consecutive Série A titles in 2013 and 2014, aside from winning four Campeonato Mineiro titles. He struggled with injuries during the 2019 and 2020 campaigns, with his side suffering a first-ever relegation in the former.

On 20 May 2021, after nearly eleven years and 401 matches with Cruzeiro, Léo left the club after rescinding his contract.^[7]

Club Statistics

As of 14 December 2021^[8]

Club	Season	League			State League		National Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Grêmio	2007	Série A	20	1	—		—		—		—		20	1
	2008		25	3	1	0	—		2[a]	0	—		28	4
	2009		26	2	9	0	—		11[b]	2	—		20	1
	Total		71	6	10	0	—		13	2	—		94	8
Palmeiras	2010	Série A	8	0	11	2	6	1	—		—		25	3
Cruzeiro	2010	Série A	16	1	—		—		—		—		16	1
	2011		27	0	3	0	—		—		—		30	0
	2012		26	1	10	0	4	1	—		—		40	2
	2013		13	1	8	3	4	1	—		—		25	4
	2014		29	2	5	2	7	1	2[b]	0	—		43	5
	2015		5	0	11	0	—		7[b]	0	—		23	1
	2016		15	0	3	0	7	0	—		0	0	25	0
	2017		26	1	13	1	13	0	2[a]	0	1[c]	0	55	2
	2018		31	0	9	0	8	0	9[b]	1	—		57	1
	2019		18	0	14	2	5	0	8[b]	0	—		45	2
	2020	Série B	10	1	8	0	3	0	—		—		21	1
	2021		0	0	0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
	Total		216	7	84	8	51	3	28	1	1	0	380	19
Career total			295	13	105	10	57	4	41	3	1	0	499	30

1. Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana
2. Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
3. Appearance(s) in Primeira Liga

Honours

Grêmio

• Campeonato Gaúcho: 2007

Cruzeiro

• Campeonato Mineiro: 2011, 2014, 2018, 2019
• Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 2013, 2014
• Copa do Brasil: 2017, 2018