Wilfredo León

{{Infobox volleyball player

| name = Wilfredo León

| image = 20240701 Wilfredo Leon.jpg

| caption = León in 2024

| nickname = Leo

| fullname = Wilfredo León Venero

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|7|31|df=y}}{{Cite web|url=https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/wilfredo-leon-venero_1902892|title=LEON VENERO Wilfredo|work=Paris 2024 Olympics}}

| birth_place = Santiago, Cuba

| nationality = Cuban, Polish

| position = Outside hitter

| height = 2.01m

| weight = 96 kg

| spike = 385 cm

| block = 346 cm

| currentteam = LUK Lublin

| currentnumber = 9

| years1 = 2005–2010

| team1 = Capitalinos

| years2 = 2010–2013

| team2 = Orientales de Santiago

| years3 = 2014–2018

| team3 = Zenit Kazan

| years4 = 2015

| team4 = Al Rayyan

| years5 = 2016

| team5 = Al Rayyan

| years6 = 2018–2024

| team6 = Sir Safety Perugia

| years7 = 2024–

| team7 = LUK Lublin

| nationalyears1 = 2007–2012

| nationalteam1 = Cuba

| nationalyears2 = 2019–

| nationalteam2 = Poland

| medaltemplates =

{{MedalCountry| {{CUB}} }}

{{MedalCountry| {{POL}} }}

}}

File:At Katowice 2024 266.jpg]]

Wilfredo León Venero (born 31 July 1993) is a professional volleyball player who plays as an outside hitter for the Polish PlusLiga club, Bogdanka LUK Lublin.{{cite web |url=https://weszlo.com/2024/07/01/wilfredo-leon-transfer-luk-lublin/ |title=Hit transferowy stał się faktem! Wilfredo Leon zagra w Lublinie! |work=Weszło |language=pl |date=1 July 2024 |access-date=1 July 2024}} Born in Cuba, he represents Poland at the international level. He was a member of his country of birth's national team from 2007 to 2012.

Considered by many as one of a kind, he led Cuba to the silver medal at the 2010 World Championship held in Italy, alongside Yoandy Leal and Robertlandy Simon. He is considered one of the leaders of the "Generation of Miracle" of Cuban volleyball by many experts.{{Cite web |last=Poggi |first=Alessandro |date=2020-04-18 |title=Wilfredo Leon exclusive! Cuba forged my character, in Poland I found love, Italy is my new challenge |url=https://olympics.com/en/featured-news/wilfredo-leon-ronaldo-volleyball-poland-tokyo |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=Olympics.com}}

Personal life

León was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba on July 31, 1993. He is the son of Wilfredo León Hechavarría and Alina Venero Boza (former volleyball player). He studied at Escuela Nacional del Voleibol Cubano. León lived in Poland for a while with his Polish girlfriend.{{cite web|url=http://www.worldofvolley.com/News/Latest_news/Poland/27896/leon-and-diaz-in-rzeszw.html|title=POL M: Leon and Diaz in Rzeszów|publisher=World of Volley|date=2012-02-25|access-date=2017-12-30}} On June 24, 2016, he married Małgorzata (born Gronkowska). On May 13, 2017, their daughter Natalia was born.

Career

León started to play when he was seven. His first coach was his mother, Alina. León debuted in the Cuban national team on May 24, 2008, in Düsseldorf, aged 14 years and 10 months.{{cite web|url=http://sport.wp.pl/kat,11751,title,Czternastolatek-w-kadrze-Kuby-na-LS,wid,9924491,wiadomosc.html|title=Czternastolatek w kadrze Kuby na LŚ!|trans-title=Fourteen-year-old in Kuba's team at LŚ!|publisher=Wirtualna Polska Media|language=pl|date=2008-05-06|access-date=2017-12-30}} He won the title of Best Receiver at World League 2009. On July 31, 2009, he won a silver medal in the World U21 Championship (after losing the final against Brazil). In 2009, the Cuban national team, with Leon, won the title of NORCECA Champion (and three individual awards), and repeated this success in 2011. After losing the final against Brazil, Cuba won a silver medal at the 2010 World Championship. He was the youngest captain of the national team (he was 17). In 2012, he won the bronze medal at the World League.

In 2013, León left Cuba to play in a club outside of his homeland,{{Cite news|last=Futterman|first=Matthew|date=2021-08-02|title=How a Cuban Émigré Became a Polish Volleyball God|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/02/sports/olympics/wilfredo-leon-volleyball.html|access-date=2021-08-02|issn=0362-4331}} losing the possibility of playing for the Cuban national team.{{cite web|url=http://www.volleywood.net/volleyball-related-news/volleyball-news-north-america/cuba-expels-wilfredo-leon/|title=Cuba Expels Wilfredo Leon|publisher=Volleywood|date=2013-04-28|access-date=2017-12-30}} He joined Russian club Zenit Kazan in 2014, where he won multiple CEV Champions League titles, national leagues, and cups. He also played part-time with Qatar club Al Rayyan in 2015 and 2016. In September 2018, León joined Italian team SIR Safety Perugia.

On July 14, 2015, León received Polish citizenship, and five years later he became fully eligible to play for the Polish national volleyball team.{{cite web|url=http://sport.wp.pl/kat,33554,title,Wilfredo-Leon-z-polskim-obywatelstwem,wid,17707851,wiadomosc.html|title=Wilfredo Leon z polskim obywatelstwem|trans-title=Wilfredo Leon with Polish citizenship|publisher=Wirtualna Polska Media|language=pl|date=2015-07-15|access-date=2017-12-30}}

On 10 August 2024, he won the silver medal at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.{{Cite web |url=https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7790/Artykul/3412806,poland-claim-olympic-silver-in-mens-volleyball |title=Poland claim Olympic silver in men's volleyball |website=polskieradio.pl |access-date=11 August 2024}}

Honours

=Club=

CEV Champions League
16px 2014–15 – with Zenit Kazan
16px 2015–16 – with Zenit Kazan
16px 2016–17 – with Zenit Kazan
16px 2017–18 – with Zenit Kazan
FIVB Club World Championship
16px Poland 2017 – with Zenit Kazan
16px Betim 2022 – with Sir Safety Perugia
16px Bangalore 2023 – with Sir Safety Perugia
CEV Challenge Cup
16px 2024–25 – with Bogdanka LUK Lublin
Domestic
2008–09 16px Cuban Championship, with Capitalinos
2009–10 16px Cuban Championship, with Capitalinos
2010–11 16px Cuban Championship, with Orientales de Santiago
2014–15 16px Russian Cup, with Zenit Kazan
2014–15 16px Russian Championship, with Zenit Kazan
2015–16 16px Russian SuperCup, with Zenit Kazan
2015–16 16px Russian Cup, with Zenit Kazan
2015–16 16px Russian Championship, with Zenit Kazan
2016–17 16px Russian SuperCup, with Zenit Kazan
2016–17 16px Russian Cup, with Zenit Kazan
2016–17 16px Russian Championship, with Zenit Kazan
2017–18 16px Russian SuperCup, with Zenit Kazan
2017–18 16px Russian Cup, with Zenit Kazan
2017–18 16px Russian Championship, with Zenit Kazan
2018–19 16px Italian Cup, with Sir Safety Perugia
2019–20 16px Italian SuperCup, with Sir Safety Perugia
2020–21 16px Italian SuperCup, with Sir Safety Perugia
2021–22 16px Italian Cup, with Sir Safety Perugia
2022–23 16px Italian SuperCup, with Sir Safety Perugia
2023–24 16px Italian SuperCup, with Sir Safety Perugia
2023–24 16px Italian Cup, with Sir Safety Perugia
2023–24 16px Italian Championship, with Sir Safety Perugia

=Individual awards=

2009: FIVB World League – Best server
2009: NORCECA Championship – Best spiker
2009: NORCECA Championship – Most valuable player
2011: Pan American Games – Most valuable player
2011: NORCECA Championship – Best spiker
2011: NORCECA Championship – Best scorer
2015: CEV Champions League – Best outside spiker
2015: CEV Champions League – Most valuable player
2015: FIVB Club World Championship – Best outside spiker
2016: CEV Champions League – Best outside spiker
2016: CEV Champions League – Most valuable player
2016: FIVB Club World Championship – Best outside spiker
2017: CEV Champions League – Best outside spiker
2017: FIVB Club World Championship – Best outside spiker
2018: CEV Champions League – Best outside spiker
2019: CEV European Championship – Best outside spiker
2022: FIVB Club World Championship – Best outside spiker
2023: CEV European Championship – Most valuable player

=State awards=

2024: File:POL Polonia Restituta Kawalerski BAR.svg Knight's Cross of Polonia Restituta{{cite web |url=https://www.prezydent.pl/aktualnosci/ordery-i-odznaczenia/uroczystosc-wreczenia-odznaczen-medalistom-oraz-trenerom-igrzysk-xxxiii-olimpiady-paryz-2024,91045 |title=Uroczystość wręczenia odznaczeń medalistom oraz trenerom Igrzysk XXXIII Olimpiady Paryż 2024 |work=prezydent.pl |language=pl |date=9 September 2024 |accessdate=9 September 2024}}

=Record=

138 km/h serve speed{{Cite web|date=2020-10-21|title=Wilfredo León bate récord de velocidad en el saque: 138 km / h|url=http://cubasi.cu/es/noticia/wilfredo-leon-bate-record-de-velocidad-en-el-saque-138-km-h|access-date=2021-05-30|website=Cuba Si|language=es}}

References

External links

{{CEV player|59263}}
[https://volleybox.net/wilfredo-leon-p319 Wilfredo León] at Volleybox.net
[https://www.legavolley.it/player/LEO-WIL-93 Wilfredo León] at LegaVolley.it {{in lang|it}}
{{Olympedia|1303097}}
{{Olympics.com profile|wilfredo-leon}}
{{PKOl profile|wilfredo-leon}}

{{succession box

| before = {{flagicon|BRA}} Gilberto Godoy Filho

| after = {{flagicon|CUB}} Yoandry Leal

| title = Best Server of
FIVB World League

| years = 2009

}}

{{succession box

| before = {{flagicon|ITA}} Osmany Juantorena
{{flagicon|JPN}} Yūki Ishikawa

| after = Incumbent

| title = Best Outside Spiker of
FIVB World Cup

| years = 2019
ex aequo {{flagicon|JPN}} Yūki Ishikawa

}}