Leonardo Biagini

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Leonardo Biagini

| image =

| fullname = Leonardo Ángel Biagini{{cite news|url=https://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/envivos/fichas/1/228/228.html|title=Leonardo Ángel BIAGINI|newspaper=El Mundo|language=Spanish|accessdate=28 March 2020}}

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1977|4|13|df=yes}}

| birth_place = Arroyo Seco, Argentina

| height = 1.82 m

| position = Striker

| currentclub =

| clubnumber =

| youthyears1 =

| youthclubs1 =

| years1 = 1993–1995

| clubs1 = Newell's Old Boys

| caps1 = 33

| goals1 = 5

| years2 = 1995–1997

| clubs2 = Atlético Madrid

| caps2 = 50

| goals2 = 4

| years3 = 1997–1998

| clubs3 = Mérida

| caps3 = 27

| goals3 = 1

| years4 = 1998–2003

| clubs4 = Mallorca

| caps4 = 68

| goals4 = 13

| years5 = 2002

| clubs5 = → Portsmouth (loan)

| caps5 = 8

| goals5 = 2

| years6 = 2003–2004

| clubs6 = Rayo Vallecano

| caps6 = 28

| goals6 = 7

| years7 = 2004–2006

| clubs7 = Sporting Gijón

| caps7 = 46

| goals7 = 13

| years8 = 2006–2007

| clubs8 = Albacete

| caps8 = 25

| goals8 = 5

| years9 = 2007–2008

| clubs9 = Arsenal Sarandí

| caps9 = 13

| goals9 = 3

| totalcaps = 298

| totalgoals = 53

| nationalyears1 = 1993

| nationalteam1 = Argentina U17

| nationalcaps1 = 3

| nationalgoals1 = 2

| nationalyears2 = 1995

| nationalteam2 = Argentina U20

| nationalcaps2 = 5

| nationalgoals2 = 2

| club-update =

| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's football}}

{{MedalCountry|{{fb|ARG}}}}

}}

Leonardo Ángel Biagini (born 13 April 1977) is an Argentine retired footballer who played as a striker.

Most of his professional career was spent in Spain where he arrived at the age of 18, going on to represent six clubs in more than one decade with totals of 244 games and 43 goals, 145 matches and 18 goals being in La Liga.

He was part of Atlético Madrid's squad when they conquered the double in 1996, although he did not feature prominently with the team. In 2007, in his 30s, he returned to his country.

Football career

Born in Arroyo Seco, Santa Fe, Biagini started his career at Newell's Old Boys in the Primera División, in 1993. In 1995, he was a main part of the Argentina under-20 team that won the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.{{cite news|url=https://mundod.lavoz.com.ar/futbol/zorros-desierto-17-anos-mundial-qatar|title=Zorros del desierto: a 17 años del Mundial de Qatar|trans-title=Desert foxes: 17th anniversary of the Qatar World Cup|newspaper=La Voz del Interior|first=Gustavo|last=Farías|language=Spanish|date=28 April 2012|accessdate=28 March 2020}}

Biagini signed for Atlético Madrid at just 18, being an important attacking element as the capital club won the double in his first year.{{cite news|url=http://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/atletico-madrid/20160525/402033117291/20-aniversario-doblete-atletico.html|title=20 años del 'Doblete' del Atlético de Liga y Copa|trans-title=20th anniversary of Atlético's League and Cup 'Double'|newspaper=Mundo Deportivo|first=Chema|last=G. Fuente|language=Spanish|date=25 May 2016|accessdate=28 March 2020}} He was mainly and regularly used as a substitute for compatriot Juan Esnáider and Kiko during his spell and, after a poor second season, moved to fellow league side CP Mérida in the summer of 1997, where he would be eventually relegated.{{cite news|url=https://as.com/50aniversario/2017/05/24/especiales/1495580622_666059.html|title=De Primera a casi desaparecer (I)|trans-title=From Primera to nearly disappearing (I)|newspaper=Diario AS|first=Pablo|last=Martín Fuentenebro|language=Spanish|date=24 May 2017|accessdate=28 March 2020}}

Biagini then played five seasons with RCD Mallorca where, safe for his first year where he scored a career-best 11 goals (also helping the team to the final of the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup by scoring the 1–0 winner against Chelsea in the last-four's second leg, in a 2–1 aggregate victory),{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/1999/apr/22/newsstory.sport2|title=Real Mallorca 1–0 Chelsea|newspaper=The Guardian|date=22 April 1999|accessdate=28 March 2020}}{{cite news|url=http://elpais.com/diario/1999/05/20/deportes/927151201_850215.html|title=El Mallorca pierde con orgullo|trans-title=Mallorca lose proudly|newspaper=El País|first=Santiago|last=Segurola|language=Spanish|date=20 May 1999|accessdate=28 January 2016}}{{cite news|url=https://www.ultimahora.es/deportes/otros-deportes/2002/09/13/765635/la-historia-de-la-maldicion-que-azota-a-biagini.html|title=La historia de la maldición que azota a Biagini|trans-title=The story of the curse that haunts Biagini|newspaper=Última Hora|first=Xisco|last=Cruz|language=Spanish|date=13 September 2002|accessdate=28 March 2020}} he would be very scarcely used due to several injury problems, also serving a six-month loan to England's Portsmouth in the First Division,{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/teams/p/portsmouth/1814177.stm|title=Pompey's Biagini hope|publisher=BBC Sport|date=13 February 2002|accessdate=10 December 2010}} where he found the net against Millwall{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/1860064.stm|title=Portsmouth 3–0 Millwall|publisher=BBC Sport|date=9 March 2002|accessdate=24 November 2013}} and Wimbledon.{{cite web|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/eng_div_1/1863747.stm|title=Portsmouth 1–2 Wimbledon|publisher=BBC Sport|date=12 March 2002|accessdate=24 November 2013}}

Biagini returned to Spain and Mallorca for the 2002–03 campaign, being part of the side that won Copa del Rey – even though he did not appear in any matches – and being subsequently released. After four additional years in the Spanish second division, in representation of three teams,{{cite news|url=http://archivo.marca.com/edicion/marca/futbol/2a_division/albacete/es/desarrollo/667350.html|title=Leo Biagini ficha por el Albacete por dos temporadas|trans-title=Leo Biagini signs for Albacete for two seasons|newspaper=Marca|language=Spanish|date=3 July 2006|accessdate=28 March 2020}} he returned home and joined Arsenal de Sarandí.

Honours

=Club=

Atlético Madrid

Mallorca

Supercopa de España: 1998

Arsenal Sarandí

Copa Sudamericana: 2007

=International=

Argentina

FIFA U-20 World Cup: 1995

=Individual=

South American Youth Football Championship Top Scorer: 1995 (4 goals){{cite web|url=https://www.auf.org.uy/historia-de-los-sudamericanos-sub20/|title=Historia de los Sudamericanos sub20|trans-title=History of the under20 South Americans|publisher=Uruguayan Football Association|first1=Willy|last1=Viola|first2=Santiago|last2=Rodríguez|language=Spanish|date=16 December 2014|accessdate=28 March 2020}}

References

External links

{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20120601095748/http://www.futbolxxi.com/Futbolista.aspx?ID=1356&SEOFutbolista=Biagini+Leonardo+Angel Argentine League statistics]}} {{in lang|es}}
{{BDFutbol|1744}}
{{Soccerbase}}
{{FIFA player|153939}}
[http://www.football-lineups.com/footballer/13217/ Football-Lineups profile]

Category:1977 births

Category:Living people

Category:People from Rosario Department

Category:Copa Sudamericana–winning players

Category:Argentine men's footballers

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:Argentine Primera División players

Category:Newell's Old Boys footballers

Category:Arsenal de Sarandí footballers

Category:La Liga players

Category:Segunda División players

Category:Atlético Madrid footballers