Leonardo

Acquired by Los Angeles: Signed by the Galaxy on February 7, 2012.

Back for a third season with the club, Leonrado is now a member of the Galaxy on a permanent basis after spending the last two years with the club on loan. A powerful and athletic center back, he missed much of last year after suffering a serious knee injury in April 2011 from which he continues to recover. His return to the field will help provide another physical force in defense in the absence of Omar Gonzalez.

MLS Highlights

• 2011: Leonardo suffered a season-ending knee injury on April 17 in a match against the Chicago Fire. 
• 2010: A key figure in the heart of the Galaxy defense at the start of the season, Leonardo saw his first season with the club blighted by injuries, which limited him to just 10 games. He started the first three games of the year, helping the club keep a clean sheet in each before suffering a right quad strain that kept him out for nearly three months. After returning in July, he made just seven additional appearances. He made four appearances in the Open Cup and Champions League, starting all four of LA’s games in those two competitions.

Career Highlights

• 2001-09: Played for Sao Paulo of the Brazilian Campeonato after originally joining the club in 2001 at the age of 13. He was a member of Sao Paulo’s league championship team in 2008, despite not appearing in any games for the first team. Leonardo came through the youth ranks of the club, having played on the Sao Paulo team that won the Super Group of the 2007 Dallas Cup, defeating Real Madrid and Chelsea en route to the title. He also appeared for the club’s U-15 and U-20 teams. In 2009, he was loaned out to Toledo in the First Division of the Brazilian Paraná Championship, playing there alongside both Alex Cazumba and Juninho.

National Team

Has played for both the Brazilian U-16 and U-17 National Teams, joining the U-16’s twice during the summer of 2004 and then training with the U-17’s in November of that year.