Luís Leal (footballer, born 1987)

Luís Leal dos Anjos (born 29 May 1987), known as Leal, is a Santomean professional footballer who plays for Club Tijuana of Mexico as a striker.

For the Chilean footballer, see Luis Leal (footballer, born 1929).
This name uses Portuguese naming customs: the first or maternal family name is Leal and the second or paternal family name is Anjos.

Luís Leal
Personal information
Full name Luís Leal dos Anjos[1]
Date of birth (1987-05-29) 29 May 1987[1]
Place of birth Arrentela, Portugal[1]
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 1⁄2 in)[1]
Position(s) Striker
Club information
Current team
 Tijuana
Number 33
Youth career
1996–1998 Arrentela
1998–2002 Sporting CP
2002–2006 Cova Piedade
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2008 Cova Piedade
2008–2009 Atlético 29 (12)
2009–2010 Moreirense 32 (13)
2010–2011 Estoril 23 (8)
2011–2012 União Leiria 16 (2)
2012–2013 Estoril 41 (15)
2013–2014 Al-Ahli 9 (7)
2014–2015 Ittihad Kalba 12 (5)
2015 → Gaziantepspor (loan) 11 (0)
2015–2016 APOEL 1 (2)
2015 → Belenenses (loan) 10 (2)
2016 Cerro Porteño 23 (14)
2016–2017 Al-Fateh 9 (2)
2017 Chiapas 10 (3)
2017–2020 Newell's Old Boys 56 (14)
2020– Tijuana 4 (0)
National team‡
2012– São Tomé and Príncipe 12 (6)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 4 October 2020
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 13 October 2019

He achieved Primeira Liga totals of 67 games and 19 goals for União Leiria, Estoril and Belenenses, but spent most of his career abroad, playing top-flight football in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Cyprus, Paraguay, Mexico and Argentina.

Club career

Portugal

Born in Arrentela, Setúbal District in Portugal, Leal joined Sporting CP's youth system at the age of 11,[2] moving after four years to C.D. Cova da Piedade. He made his senior debut with the latter, playing a couple of seasons in the fourth division.

Leal then had two solid campaigns in the third level, one apiece with Atlético Clube de Portugal and Moreirense FC, continuing his professional progression in summer 2010 by signing with G.D. Estoril Praia in division two.[2] He made his debut in the Primeira Liga in the 2011–12 campaign with U.D. Leiria,[3] appearing in his first game in the competition on 15 August 2011 against Académica de Coimbra (17 minutes played, 1–2 home loss).[4]

In 2012, after Leiria's relegation (and further demotion to the third tier due to irregularities), Leal returned to Estoril, with the team now in the top flight. He started the season in impressive fashion, scoring a hat-trick in a 3–1 home win over C.S. Marítimo[5] and one goal in a 2–2 draw at former club Sporting.[6]

Abroad

On 18 June 2015, after brief spells at Al-Ahli SC, Al-Ittihad Kalba SC and Gaziantepspor, Leal signed a two-year contract with Cypriot First Division club APOEL FC.[7] He made his debut on 14 July, in a 0–0 home draw against FK Vardar for the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.[8]

Leal scored his first two goals for APOEL on 22 August 2015, in a 5–1 away victory over Ermis Aradippou FC.[9][10] Eight days later, however, after underperforming in the Champions League's qualifiers, he was sent on loan to C.F. Os Belenenses until the end of the season.[11]

On 26 January 2016, Leal joined Cerro Porteño for an undisclosed fee,[12][13] agreeing to a two-year deal.[14] He made his debut in the Paraguayan Primera División five days later, in a 1–2 away loss against Sportivo Luqueño where he came on as a 64th-minute substitute for Sergio Díaz;[15] one week later, he scored a double to help to a 3–0 home defeat of General Caballero Sport Club.[16]

Leal returned to the Saudi Professional League in August 2016, joining Al-Fateh SC.[17] Only months into his spell at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, the player's agent Óscar Díaz stated that he wanted to return to Cerro.[18] He left in January 2017, signing for Chiapas F.C. in Mexico's Liga MX.[19] His first goal for the Jaguares was on 26 February, the team's last in a 4–3 home comeback win over CD Guadalajara.[20]

In August 2017, Leal returned to South America, loaned for a US$150,000 fee to Newell's Old Boys in Argentina with the option to buy.[21] He scored his first goal in the Argentine Primera División on 16 September to open a 2–0 home defeat of Club Olimpo.[22] In July 2018, he signed a three-year contract when the Rosario-based club purchased 85% of his economic rights.[23]

International career

Born in Portugal, Leal expressed his desire to represent his parents' homeland of São Tomé and Príncipe internationally.[24] He made his debut on 16 June 2012 in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Sierra Leone, and scored his first goal on 13 June 2015 in the 1–7 defeat in Cape Verde for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.[25]

In October 2019, Leal scored three of São Tomé and Príncipe's goals in a 5–2 aggregate win over Mauritius to reach the group stage of qualification for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.[26]

Career statistics

Club
As of 21 December 2015[27]
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Atlético 2008–09[28] Second Division 291220———3112
Moreirense 2009–10[28] Second Division 321321———3414
Estoril 2010–11[28] Segunda Liga 2380060——298
União Leiria 2011–12[28] Primeira Liga 1621020——192
Estoril 2012–13[28] Primeira Liga 30101040——3510
2013–14[28] Primeira Liga 11521009[lower-alpha 1]3—229
Total 4115314093—5719
Al-Ahli 2013–14[29] Saudi Professional League 97105[lower-alpha 2]2——159
Ittihad Kalba 2014–15[29] UAE Pro-League 125—60——185
Gaziantepspor (loan) 2014–15[29] Süper Lig 11011———121
APOEL 2015–16[29] Cypriot First Division 1200—6[lower-alpha 3]01[lower-alpha 4]082
Belenenses (loan) 2015–16[29] Primeira Liga 10210006[lower-alpha 1]1—173
Career total 184661132322141024075
  1. Appearances in UEFA Europa League
  2. Appearances in Kings Cup (Saudi Arabia)
  3. Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  4. Appearances in Cypriot Super Cup

International
As of 13 October 2019[30]
São Tomé and Príncipe
YearAppsGoals
2012 1 0
2013 0 0
2014 0 0
2015 3 2
2016 4 1
2017 2 0
2019 2 3
Total 12 6

International goals
As of 13 October 2019 (São Tomé and Príncipe score listed first, score column indicates score after each Leal goal)[30]
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.13 June 2015Estádio Nacional, Praia, Cape Verde Cape Verde
1–5
1–7
2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2.8 October 2015Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho, São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe Ethiopia
1–0
1–0
2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.23 March 2016 Libya
2–1
2–1
2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
4.9 October 2019Anjalay Stadium, Belle Vue Harel, Mauritius Mauritius
1–1
3–1
2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
5.
2–1
6.13 October 2019Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho, São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe
2–0
2–1

References
  1. "Luís Leal" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  2. Full circle – a decade in the life of Luís Leal; PortuGOAL, 28 September 2012
  3. Avançados Luís Leal e Jorge Chula são os primeiros reforços (Forwards Luís Leal and Jorge Chula are first signings) Archived 28 September 2013 at the Wayback Machine; MSN, 17 June 2011 (in Portuguese)
  4. "Emanuel entra com pé direito" [Emanuel starts off on the right foot]. Correio da Manhã (in Portuguese). 16 August 2011. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  5. Luís Leal e o «hat trick»: «Foi uma boa noite» (Luís Leal and «hat trick»: «It was a good night»); Mais Futebol, 24 September 2012 (in Portuguese)
  6. Estoril derail Sporting at the Alvalade Archived 2 December 2013 at the Wayback Machine; PortuGOAL, 29 September 2012
  7. Κατ'αρχήν συμφωνία με Κωνσταντίνο Μακρίδη [Agreement in principle with Konstantinos Makridis] (in Greek). APOEL FC. 18 June 2015. Archived from the original on 18 June 2015. Retrieved 18 June 2015.
  8. "APOEL 0–0 Vardar". UEFA. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  9. "Ermis Aradippou 1–5 APOEL FC". APOEL FC. 22 August 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  10. "APOEL storm past Ermis in Larnaca". Cyprus Score. 22 August 2015. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 3 September 2015.
  11. "Luís Leal reforça azuis" [Luís Leal bolsters blues]. Record (in Portuguese). 30 August 2015. Archived from the original on 2 September 2015. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  12. Συμφωνία μετεγγραφής του ποδοσφαιριστή Luis Leal [Transfer agreement for footballer Luis Leal] (in Greek). APOEL FC. 27 January 2016. Archived from the original on 3 February 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  13. ΑΠΟΕΛ: Πλήρωσε η Σέρο Πορτένιο για τον Λεάλ! [APOEL: Cerro Porteño have paid for Leal!] (in Greek). Balla. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  14. "Fue presentado en forma oficial, como nuevo jugador del Ciclón, Luis Leal" [Luis Leal was officially presented as new player of the Cyclone] (in Spanish). Club Cerro. 26 January 2016. Retrieved 26 January 2016.
  15. "Luqueño castiga errores y tumba a Cerro Porteño" [Luqueño punish mistakes and down Cerro Porteño] (in Spanish). D10. 31 January 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  16. "Luís Leal y Beltrán dirigen la goleada azulgrana" [Luís Leal and Beltrán lead azulgrana rout] (in Spanish). D10. 4 February 2016. Retrieved 25 April 2016.
  17. "Luís Leal deja Cerro para ir a jugar en el fútbol de Arabia" [Luís Leal leaves Cerro to play in Arabian football] (in Spanish). D10. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  18. "Luis Leal dejaría Arabia para volver a Cerro" [Luís Leal would leave Arabia to return to Cerro]. La Nación (in Spanish). 9 December 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  19. "Aquivaldo Mosquera regresa al futbol mexicano" [Aquivaldo Mosquera returns to Mexican football]. Publímetro (in Spanish). 31 January 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  20. "Leal, el exótico jugador de la Liga MX que llegó desde África" [Leal, the exotic Liga MX player who arrived from Africa] (in Spanish). Bola VIP. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  21. "Argentina: Luís Leal vai jogar na primeira equipa de Messi" [Argentina: Luís Leal will play for Messi's first team] (in Portuguese). Sábado. 7 August 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  22. "Newell's consiguió su primera victoria en la Superliga ante Olimpo" [Newell's got their first Superleague victory against Olimpo] (in Spanish). Fox Sports. 16 September 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  23. "Luís Leal assina em definitivo pelo Newell's Old Boys" [Luís Leal signs permanently for Newell's Old Boys] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. 5 July 2018. Retrieved 7 November 2019.
  24. S.Tomé/CAN/2013: Luís Leal chegou finalmente ao país e viaja ainda hoje para Malabo (S.Tomé/CAN/2013: Luís Leal finally arrived in the country and travels to Malabo still today); STP Press, 12 June 2012 (in Portuguese)
  25. "Cabo Verde arrasa São Tomé e Príncipe" [Cape Verde steamroll São Tomé and Príncipe]. Record (in Portuguese). 13 June 2015. Archived from the original on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  26. "El delantero de la Superliga que fue héroe en Africa" [The Superliga striker who was a hero in Africa]. Olé (in Spanish). 14 October 2019. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  27. Luís Leal at WorldFootball.net
  28. "Luís Leal". ForaDeJogo. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  29. "Luís Leal". Soccerway. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  30. Luís Leal at National-Football-Teams.com
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