Leonai
{{short description|Brazilian footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Leonai
| image =
| fullname = Leonai Souza de Almeida
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1995|4|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Pontal, Brazil
| height = 1.74m
| currentclub = Barcelona SC
| clubnumber = 22
| position = Midfielder
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 = Olé Brasil
| years1 = 2016
| clubs1 = Jaboticabal
| caps1 = 0
| goals1 = 0
| years2 = 2017
| clubs2 = Sete de Dourados
| caps2 = 0
| goals2 = 0
| years3 = 2017
| clubs3 = Taquaritinga
| caps3 = 16
| goals3 = 1
| years4 = 2018–2019
| clubs4 = Comercial-SP
| caps4 = 38
| goals4 = 1
| years5 = 2020–2022
| clubs5 = Plaza Colonia
| caps5 = 60
| goals5 = 1
| years6 = 2022
| clubs6 = → Barcelona SC (loan)
| caps6 = 17
| goals6 = 1
| years7 = 2023–
| clubs7 = → Barcelona SC
| caps7 = 39
| goals7 = 0
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 =
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| club-update = 19:08, 23 March 2022 (UTC)
| nationalteam-update =
}}
Leonai Souza de Almeida (born 28 April 1995), simply known as Leonai, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a midfielder for Ecuadorian club Barcelona SC.
Club career
=Early career=
Born in Pontal, São Paulo, Leonai played for Olé Brasil as a youth,{{cite web|url=https://wsports.com.br/e-uma-sensacao-incrivel-afirma-leonai-sobre-jogar-no-bafo|title="É uma sensação incrível", afirma Leonai sobre jogar no Bafo|trans-title="It is an incredible feeling", says Leonai about playing at Bafo|publisher=W Sports|language=pt-BR|date=18 January 2018|accessdate=23 March 2022}} and made his senior debut with Jaboticabal in 2016, playing for the side in a non-official tournament called {{ill|Taça Paulista de Futebol|lt=Taça Paulista|pt}}.{{cite web|url=https://onefootball.com/pt-br/noticias/e-a-oportunidade-da-minha-vida-diz-brasileiro-leonai-sobre-jogar-no-plaza-colonia-em-exclusiva-31150178|title="É a oportunidade da minha vida", diz brasileiro Leonai, sobre jogar no Plaza Colonia, em exclusiva|trans-title="It is the opportunity of my life", says Brazilian Leonai, about playing at Plaza Colonia, in an exclusive interview|publisher=OneFootball|work=FNV Sports|language=pt-BR|date=23 September 2020|accessdate=23 March 2022}} He was announced by Sete de Dourados in January 2017,{{cite web|url=http://ge.globo.com/ms/futebol/times/sete-de-dourados/noticia/2017/01/veja-quem-e-quem-no-elenco-do-sete-de-dourados-para-temporada-2017.html|title=Veja quem é quem no elenco do Sete de Dourados para a temporada 2017|trans-title=See who is who in the squad of Sete de Dourados for the 2017 season|publisher=ge|language=pt-BR|date=19 January 2017|accessdate=23 March 2022}} but spent only 40 days at the club before leaving. During that period, he also worked as a stock boy in a supermarket and as an assistant in a chemical laboratory.{{cite web|url=https://www.extra.ec/noticia/deportes/leonai-souza-supermercado-jugar-futbol-profesional-63279.html|title=Leonai Souza, de trabajar en un supermercado a jugar fútbol profesional|trans-title=Leonai Souza, from working in a supermarket to playing professional football|publisher=Extra|language=es|date=6 February 2022|accessdate=23 March 2022}}
On 26 April 2017, Leonai joined Taquaritinga.{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/CATaquaritinga/posts/1148321455297403|title=CAT ANUNCIA NOVAS CONTRATAÇÕES|trans-title=CAT ANNOUNCE NEW SIGNINGS|publisher=Facebook|work=Clube Atlético Taquaritinga|language=pt-BR|date=26 April 2017|accessdate=23 March 2022}} After impressing with the side in the year's Campeonato Paulista Segunda Divisão, he was announced at Comercial-SP on 16 January 2018.{{cite web|url=https://www.acidadeon.com/ribeiraopreto/cotidiano/cidades/NOT,2,2,1300871,Comercial+apresenta+primeiros+sete+reforcos+para+a+Segundona.aspx|title=Comercial apresenta primeiros sete reforços para a Segundona|trans-title=Comercial present the first seven additions for the Segundona|publisher=A Cidade On|language=pt-BR|date=16 January 2018|accessdate=23 March 2022}}
On 17 October 2018, after helping Comercial in their promotion to the Campeonato Paulista Série A3, Leonai renewed his contract until 2020.{{cite web|url=https://imprensalivre.top/2018/10/17/leonai-renova-com-comercial-ate-2020/|title=Leonai Renova Com Comercial Até 2020|trans-title=Leonai renews with Comercial until 2020|publisher=ImprensaLivre.top|language=pt-BR|date=17 October 2018|accessdate=23 March 2022}} He scored his first goal for the club the following 6 April, netting the winner in a 1–0 success over Desportivo Brasil.{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/sp/ribeirao-preto-e-regiao/futebol/times/comercial-sp/noticia/leonai-celebra-1o-gol-pelo-comercial-e-descarta-jogar-pelo-regulamento-em-porto-feliz.ghtml|title=Leonai celebra 1º gol pelo Comercial e descarta jogar pelo regulamento em Porto Feliz|trans-title=Leonai celebrates 1st goal for Comercial and discards playing under the rules in Porto Feliz|publisher=ge|language=pt-BR|date=9 April 2019|accessdate=23 March 2022}}
=Plaza Colonia=
On 6 November 2019, Comercial confirmed the transfer of Leonai to Uruguayan club Plaza Colonia.{{cite web|url=https://www.futebolinterior.com.br/paulista-a3-comercial-confirma-venda-de-jogador-para-time-da-elite-uruguaia/|title=Paulista A3: Comercial confirma venda de jogador para time da elite uruguaia|trans-title=Paulista A3: Comercial confirm transfer of player to team from the Uruguayan top tier|publisher=Futebol Interior|language=pt-BR|date=6 November 2019|accessdate=23 March 2022}} He made his professional – and Primera División – debut on 7 March 2020, coming on as a second-half substitute for Leandro Suhr in a 1–1 home draw against Fénix.
Leonai became a regular starter for the Patas Blancas, and scored his first professional goal on 28 June 2021, netting the opener in a 1–1 home draw against Cerro Largo.{{cite web|url=https://www.tycsports.com/futbol-de-uruguay/uruguay-torneo-apertura-2021-plaza-colonia-vs-cerro-largo-fecha-8-id352424.html|title=Empate a uno entre Plaza Colonia y Cerro Largo|trans-title=1–1 draw between Plaza Colonia and Cerro Largo|publisher=TyC Sports|language=es|date=28 June 2021|accessdate=23 March 2022}} At the end of that season, he was chosen as the best foreign player of the tournament by Referí, the football section of newspaper El Observador.{{cite web|url=https://www.elobservador.com.uy/nota/leonai-souza-el-mejor-extranjero-del-uruguayo-2021-desbanco-a-los-argentinos-y-puso-a-brasil-en-el-pedestal-202112230490|title=Fútbolx100: Leonai Souza fue elegido mejor extranjero del Campeonato Uruguayo 2021|trans-title=Fútbolx100: Leonai Souza was chosen the best foreigner of the 2021 Uruguayan tournament|publisher=El Observador|language=es|date=23 December 2021|accessdate=23 March 2022}}
==Loan to Barcelona SC==
On 10 January 2022, Ecuadorian Serie A side Barcelona SC announced that Leonai had joined the club on a one-year loan deal, with a buyout clause.{{cite web|url=https://www.barcelonasc.com.ec/2022/01/10/oficial-leonai-souza/|title=Oficial: Leonai Souza|trans-title=Official: Leonai Souza|publisher=Barcelona SC|language=es|date=10 January 2022|accessdate=23 March 2022}}
Career statistics
{{updated|23 March 2022}}{{Soccerway|leonai-souza-de-almeida/593248|accessdate=23 March 2022}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | ||||||||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="3"|League !colspan="2"|State League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Continental !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| valign="center"|Taquaritinga
|2017 |colspan="2"|— | 16 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 16 | 1 | |||||
| rowspan="3" valign="center"|Comercial-SP
|2018{{cite web|url=https://ge.globo.com/sp/ribeirao-preto-e-regiao/futebol/times/comercial-sp/noticia/comercial-encaminha-saidas-de-leonai-e-mizael-mas-mantem-percentual-para-futuras-negociacoes.ghtml|title=Comercial encaminha saídas de Leonai e Mizael, mas mantém percentual para futuras negociações|trans-title=Comercial set departures of Leonai and Mizael, but keep percentage of future negotiations|publisher=ge|language=pt-BR|date=6 November 2019|accessdate=23 March 2022|quote=Leonai foi titular do Comercial nas últimas duas temporadas. No total, ele fez 58 jogos pelo Alvinegro.}} |Paulista 2ª Divisão |colspan="2"|— | 22 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 22 | 0 | |||||
| 2019
|colspan="2"|— | 16 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 20Appearance(s) in Copa Paulista | 0 | 36 | 1 | ||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!colspan="2"|— | 38 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 20 | 0 | 58 | 1 | ||||
| rowspan="3" valign="center"|Plaza Colonia
|2020 |rowspan="2"|Primera División |31 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 3Appearance(s) in Copa Sudamericana | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 34 | 0 | ||||
| 2021
|29 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 29 | 1 | |||||
| colspan="2"|Total
!60 | 1 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 63 | 1 | ||||
| valign="center"|Barcelona SC
|2022 |3 | 0 | colspan="2"|— | colspan="2"|— | 5Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores | 0 | colspan="2"|— | 8 | 0 | ||||
| colspan="3"|Career total
!63 | 1 | 54 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 145 | 3 |
{{reflist|group="lower-alpha"}}
Honours
=Individual=
- Uruguayan Primera División Team of the season: 2021{{cite web|url=https://www.auf.org.uy/se-definieron-los-premios-auf-anuales-2021/|title=Se definieron los Premios AUF anuales 2021|trans-title=Defined the 2021 AUF Annual Awards|publisher=Asociación Uruguaya de Fútbol|language=es|date=28 December 2021|accessdate=23 March 2022}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{BDFA|SOUZA-ALMEIDA-LEONAI-123593}}
{{Barcelona S.C. squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leonai}}
Category:Footballers from São Paulo (state)
Category:Brazilian men's footballers
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Jaboticabal Atlético players
Category:Clube Atlético Taquaritinga players
Category:Comercial Futebol Clube (Ribeirão Preto) players
Category:Uruguayan Primera División players
Category:Plaza Colonia players
Category:Ecuadorian Serie A players
Category:Barcelona S.C. footballers
Category:Brazilian expatriate men's footballers
Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Uruguay
Category:Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Ecuador
Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Uruguay