Leandro Somoza

Football player infobox
playername= Leandro Somoza


fullname = Leandro Daniel Somoza
nickname =
dateofbirth = birth date and age|1981|1|26
cityofbirth = Buenos Aires
countryofbirth = Argentina
height = height|m=1.87
currentclub = Vélez Sársfield
clubnumber =
position = Central Midfielder
youthyears =
youthclubs =
years = 2001–2006 2006–2007 2007–2008 2008-
clubs = Vélez Sársfield Villarreal CF →Real Betis "(loan)"
Vélez Sársfield
caps(goals) = 124 (4) 024 (0) 014 (0) 0|009 (3)
nationalyears = 2006-
nationalteam = Argentina
nationalcaps(goals) = 0|002 (0)
pcupdate = 7 October 2008
ntupdate = 13 July 2008

Leandro Daniel Somoza (born January 26 1981 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine football midfielder currently playing for Vélez Sársfield in the Primera División Argentina.

Club career

Somoza began his professional career playing for Vélez Sársfield in the Argentine Primera in 2001. He played for the club for five years and was a key player in the 2005 Argentine Primera Clausura Tournament won by Vélez.

In 2006 he was transferred to Spanish club Villareal CF on a five year contract. At Villarreal he joined fellow countrymen Juan Román Riquelme, Gonzalo Rodríguez, Rodolfo Arruabarrena, Fabricio Fuentes and Mariano Barbosa at the Spanish Primera Division club.

He joined Real Betis on loan during August 2007. He was presented to the media on 14 August. He made his first appearance in a friendly against La Liga side Real Zaragoza on 16 August. His first competitive debut came in the season against Recreativo Huelva on 26 August.

For the 2008-09 season Somoza was loaned by Villarreal to his former club, Vélez Sársfield.

International career

Somoza was given his debut for Argentina by new manager Alfio Basile in the friendly international against Brazil at the Emirates Stadium in London, England. Despite Argentina's relatively poor performance and their 3-0 defeat, Basile has kept faith with his young squad, picking Somoza for subsequent squads.

External links

*es icon [http://www.futbolxxi.com/Futbolista.aspx?ID=12525&SEOFutbolista=Somoza+Leandro+Daniel Argentine Primera statistics]
* [http://touchline.onthespot.co.uk/guardian/StatsCentre.asp?Lang=0&CTID=29&CPID=68&pStr=Player&PLID=59456&TEID=542 Guardian statistics]
* [http://www.football-lineups.com/players/player.php?route=927 Leandro Somoza at Football Lineups]