Leonardo Nascimento Lopes de Souza (born 28 May 1997), known as Léo Souza or simply Leonardo, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for K League 1 club Ulsan Hyundai on loan from Chinese Super League club Shandong Taishan.
![]() Souza with Ulsan Hyundai, June 2022 | |||
Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Leonardo Nascimento Lopes de Souza | ||
Date of birth | (1997-05-28) 28 May 1997 (age 25) | ||
Place of birth | Sorocaba, Brazil | ||
Height | 1.80 m (5 ft 11 in) | ||
Position(s) | Forward | ||
Club information | |||
Current team |
Ulsan Hyundai (on loan from Shandong Taishan) | ||
Number | 9 | ||
Youth career | |||
2010–2012 | Red Bull Brasil | ||
2012–2014 | Corinthians | ||
2015–2016 | Ituano | ||
Senior career* | |||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
2015–2016 | Ituano | 0 | (0) |
2017 | Santos | 0 | (0) |
2017 | → Rio Verde (loan) | 3 | (0) |
2018 | Gainare Tottori | 31 | (24) |
2019 | Albirex Niigata | 38 | (28) |
2020 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 28 | (11) |
2021– | Shandong Taishan | 8 | (1) |
2021 | → Hebei (loan) | 12 | (1) |
2022– | → Ulsan Hyundai (loan) | 23 | (10) |
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 13 August 2022 |
Léo Souza grew in the Santos youth ranks and then he was loaned to the B-team, where he scored three goals in 16 games.[1] Gainare Tottori wanted to scout him, so GM Masayuki Okano and returning Fernandinho went to Brazil to see with their own eyes the striker and another player, Vitor Gabriel. In January 2018, the Tottori-based club signed both class '97 for their incoming 2018 season.[2]
After a top-scorer season with Albirex Niigata, scoring 28 goals in the 2019 J2 League, the Brazilian striker signed for Urawa Red Diamonds in the J1 League.[3]
Léo Souza made his debut for Urawa in the club's match against Vegalta Sendai in the 2020 J.League Cup group stage on 16 February 2020. He scored twice in the first-half as Urawa won 5–2.[4] He made his league debut five days later and scored the club's second goal of a 3–2 away victory at Shonan Bellmare.[5]
On 22 February 2021, Léo Souza joined Chinese Super League club Shandong Taishan.[6]
On 30 July 2021, Léo Souza joined fellow Chinese Super League club Hebei F.C. on loan.[7]
On 24 February 2022, Léo Souza joined K League 1 club Ulsan Hyundai on loan.[8]
Club | Season | League | State League | Cup | League Cup | Continental | Other | Total | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Ituano | 2015 | Paulista | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 6[lower-alpha 1] | 1 | 6 | 1 | ||||
2016 | Série D | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | |||||
Total | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 6 | 1 | 6 | 1 | |||||
Santos | 2017 | Série A | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | 14[lower-alpha 1] | 2 | 14 | 2 | |||
Rio Verde (loan) | 2017 | Goiano | — | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 0 | |||||
Gainare Tottori | 2018 | J3 League | 31 | 24 | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 33 | 24 | ||||
Albirex Niigata | 2019 | J2 League | 38 | 28 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 38 | 28 | ||||
Urawa Red Diamonds | 2020 | J1 League | 28 | 11 | — | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 30 | 13 | |||
Shandong Taishan | 2021 | Chinese Super League | 8 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | ||||
Hebei (loan) | 12 | 1 | — | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 12 | 1 | ||||||
Ulsan Hyundai (loan) | 2022 | K League 1 | 23 | 10 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 7 | 3 | — | 30 | 13 | |||
Career total | 140 | 75 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 20 | 3 | 174 | 83 |
Ulsan Hyundai
Individual
Ulsan Hyundai FC – current squad | |
---|---|
|
J2 League top scorers | |
---|---|
J3 League top scorers | |
---|---|