Lucas Leiva
Encyclopedia
Lucas Pezzini-Leiva often known as simply Lucas, is a Brazilian
footballer who plays as a Defensive midfielder for Premier League club Liverpool
and the Brazilian national side
. Lucas is the nephew of former Brazilian footballer Leivinha
and also holds an Italian
passport thanks to his descent from the country.
in 2005. The following year was a successful year for him, as Grêmio won the Rio Grande do Sul
state championship (the Campeonato Gaúcho
) for the first time since 2001, and also came third in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
. Lucas also became the youngest player ever to receive Placar
magazine's Bola de Ouro
(Golden Ball), given to the best player in the Campeonato Brasileiro — an honour previously won by the likes of Zico
, Falcão
, Careca, Alex
, Romario
, Robinho
, Kaká
and Tévez
.
His form in 2006 led to reported interest from many major European clubs including offers from top Spanish clubs and Inter. It was Liverpool
that proved most attractive to the player, however, and on 13 May 2007 the club confirmed they had signed the player from Grêmio before the start of the 2007–08 season. The transfer fee was in the region of £6 million. Lucas remained with Grêmio until the end of their 2007 Copa Libertadores
campaign. They made it to the final where they met Boca Juniors
. However, Lucas had a niggling injury, causing him to start the first leg on the bench. With Grêmio 1–0 down, Sandro Goiano was sent off. Lucas was brought on to help shore up the midfield, but to no avail as Grêmio lost 3–0. Lucas was back in the starting line-up for the second leg, but Grêmio were again defeated, this time 2–0.
was pleased with his signing, saying: "I am looking forward to seeing him score goals for Liverpool in the future and [we] believe he has the mentality and the character you need to do well in England". The next day, Lucas made his debut against Portsmouth, coming on for Mohamed Sissoko
in the second half. He also won a penalty in the match against Everton after Phil Neville handballed on the line from Lucas' shot.
By late November, manager Benítez gave Lucas his chance to start a game in the Liverpool
midfield, after easing him in during his first few months at the club. Lucas scored his first goal for Liverpool on 27 January 2008 when he curled a 25-yard shot into the top corner during an FA Cup
match against Havant and Waterlooville, becoming the first Brazilian to score for Liverpool. The young Brazilian also started league games against Chelsea
and Arsenal
, as well as both Champions League
games against Inter Milan
.
in July. He impressed in pre-season games but missed the start of Premier League season due to his selection for the Brazilian Olympic Team in the Beijing Olympics.
He returned with a bronze medal and Benítez had high hopes for the Brazilian's future, stating "this season he will improve because he is a very, very good professional and has experience of the Olympic Games". Lucas noted that Liverpool's squad was much improved from the previous season and relished the opportunity to compete for trophies, despite the increased difficulty of getting a first team place. However, after a number of disappointing performances, both critics and fans voiced concerns about Lucas' quality and his confidence was further knocked when Liverpool fans booed him after a lacklustre draw against Fulham
. The criticism irked Benítez and he responded with a passionate defence of the player, saying that "people just don't know how good Lucas is" Benitez also underlined Lucas' credentials, stating that he had been captain for both Grêmio and his national youth team, and that competing for place against Mascherano, Steven Gerrard
and Xabi Alonso
was inherently difficult. Lucas' performances in December 2008 for Liverpool drew him much praise from pundits, the highlight being his performance in the 5–1 thrashing of Newcastle, where he provided an assist for Steven Gerrard. Lucas was sent off in a cup tie against Mersey rivals Everton, which Liverpool lost. This compounded his growing unpopularity amongst Liverpool's supporters, after he gave away a late penalty in Liverpool's previous match, a 1–1 draw with Wigan.
On 14 March, Lucas played a key role in Liverpool's 4–1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Lucas started in place of the injured Xabi Alonso
. On 14 April, Lucas played against Chelsea
in the Champions League
, in place of Steven Gerrard
. He scored a goal with his long range effort in the 81st minute deflected off Michael Essien and past Cech to make the score 3–3. Dirk Kuyt's header a minute later briefly gave Liverpool the lead, but Frank Lampard's 89th minute strike leveled the score to 4–4, with Chelsea winning 7–5 on aggregate to go through to the semi-finals of the tournament.
On 3 May 2009, Lucas scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool against Newcastle United in a 3–0 win.
, and gained him a start against Tottenham Hotspur for the opening game of the 09/10 season on August 16. Liverpool lost 1–2 but Lucas earned praise for a solid performance all round.
Lucas appeared in Liverpool's opening six games of the 2009/10 season, never previously having played six games consecutively for the club. Lucas has been playing continuously since the departure of Alonso.
The 2009/2010 season has seen a large increase in the form of the young Brazilian. On 8 April 2010, Lucas scored his second European goal for Liverpool, scoring in Liverpool's 4–1 (5–3 aggregate) quarter final win over Benfica in the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.
On 16 September 2010, Lucas scored his sixth goal for Liverpool shortly after replacing Ryan Babel
in Liverpool's first Europa League group stage
match against Steaua Bucureşti. The goal was Liverpool's third in a 4-1 victory and was scored from 22 yards. On 13 November, Lucas was sent off for the second time in his Liverpool career after being shown a second yellow card in injury time in Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to Stoke City. On 6 December, Lucas was voted the fan's pick for man of the match on the official Liverpool website. Lucas assisted a Ryan Babel goal in a 3-0 win over Aston Villa. On 12 February 2011, Lucas made his 100th Premier League appearance for Liverpool in a 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic
at Anfield
.
In the absence of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard
, Lucas has grown into a first-team regular and the heart lynch-pin of Liverpool's midfield forming partnerships with Christian Poulsen
, Raul Meireles and more recently Jay Spearing
. His positive attitude and tackling ability have earned him Brazil call-ups, featuring in all of Brazil's games under new coach Mano Menezes as well as recognition as Liverpool's most consistent player of the season.
On 30 March, Lucas signed a new long term contract at Liverpool. On 17th April, during Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Arsenal at Emirates Staidum, Lucas played a pivotal role in ousting out Cesc Fàbregas
in midfield, whilst showing a deft touch in the dying moments to earn his side a freekick in the last minute. His quick reaction time to then reach the loose ball from the resulting free kick, under which he was then tackled in the penalty area, earned his side a penalty, which Dirk Kuyt
converted. Following the game, Kenny Dalglish
praised "...he may be the one who stops the guy (opponent) going past the first fella then sets us on our way (creates attacks)," drawing growing comparisons to Xavi
and 1994 World Cup winner and captain, Dunga
. On 24 May, Lucas was voted the Standard Chartered Fans player of the year for the 2010-11 season, winning 40% of the 129,774 votes cast. He also made the most tackles in the top 4 European leagues in the 2010-2011 season.
player Juan Mata in the 2-0 win over Chelsea
in the quarter final of the Carling Cup.
, scoring 4 goals in the process. He was expected to lead the team again in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
held in Canada
in July 2007 and was named in their squad. However an injury in training kept him from playing for 3 weeks, leading to his withdrawal from the squad.
In October 2006, Lucas was included in the senior Brazilian squad for friendlies against Kuwaiti club Al-Kuwait and Ecuador
. Lucas was both the youngest member and one of only two non-Europe based players in a strong squad. He made his debut for Brazil
on 7 October 2006 coming on as a second half substitute against Al-Kuwait. Brazil won the match 4–0. However, this appearance does not count as his first cap as the match was not considered an official friendly match by FIFA
.
Lucas gained his first official Brazil international cap on 22 August 2007, coming on as a substitute in a friendly against Algeria
. In June 2008, Lucas was named in the Brazil squad for an Olympics warm-up match later in the month.
On 19 August, Lucas was shown a red card in the Olympic semi-final between Brazil and Argentina after a challenge on then Liverpool team-mate Javier Mascherano, as Argentina ran out 3–0 winners. In August 2009, Lucas was recalled to the senior Brazil squad in place of Flamengo's José Kléberson
, who was absent through injury. After missing out on the Brazil world cup squad in South Africa, Lucas played the full 90 minutes in a friendly against the United States
on 10 August 2010.
On the 17th of July 2011 Lucas was shown a straight red card in the Copa America Play-Off semi final against Paraguay. Brazil went on to lose this match on penalties after the 90 minutes finished 0-0.
oversaw his transition into a holding midfielder. The energetic Leiva has been a consistent performer in the 2010/11 season, with a high average tackle and pass success and numerous interceptions; a consequence of his accurate decisions and high work rate. He has also gained a reputation as a "big-game player" as he seems to perform well under the pressure of important matches and shut down dangerous opponents. Following the 2010/2011 season, Lucas received plaudits from technically-gifted Fábio Aurélio
claiming "He is much more mature, stronger physically and knows more about how to win games. He has shown great personality and capability to change things around," a mark of his growing creativity and passing ability, whilst Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard
proclaimed "Lucas Leiva was our best player last season," as he dominated the middle of the park.
Brazil
Liverpool
Personal Awards
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
footballer who plays as a Defensive midfielder for Premier League club Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
and the Brazilian national side
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
. Lucas is the nephew of former Brazilian footballer Leivinha
Leivinha
João Leiva Campos Filho, usually called Leivinha , is a retired Brazilian footballer who played striker...
and also holds an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
passport thanks to his descent from the country.
Grêmio
Lucas began his career at GrêmioGrêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense
Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, commonly known as just Grêmio , is a Brazilian professional association football team based in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul founded by English and German immigrants on September 15, 1903. Major titles captured by Grêmio include one Intercontinental Cup, two Copa...
in 2005. The following year was a successful year for him, as Grêmio won the Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul
Rio Grande do Sul is the southernmost state in Brazil, and the state with the fifth highest Human Development Index in the country. In this state is located the southernmost city in the country, Chuí, on the border with Uruguay. In the region of Bento Gonçalves and Caxias do Sul, the largest wine...
state championship (the Campeonato Gaúcho
Campeonato Gaúcho
The Campeonato da Primeira Divisão de Futebol Profissional da FGF is the top tier of the footballleague of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.-Clubs:Clubs qualified to Campeonato Gaúcho Primeira Divisão 2011.*Canoas*Caxias...
) for the first time since 2001, and also came third in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A
The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B...
. Lucas also became the youngest player ever to receive Placar
Placar
Placar is a monthly Brazilian sports magazine. Its first edition was issued on March 20, 1970, and since then the it has become the most successful sports publication in Brazil, even though it focuses fully on football . It is published by Grupo Abril....
magazine's Bola de Ouro
Bola de Ouro
The Bola de Ouro is an award given each year, since 1973, by the authoritative Brazilian magazine Placar to the best player in the Brazilian National Championship. It is practically the equivalent to a Footballer of the Year award...
(Golden Ball), given to the best player in the Campeonato Brasileiro — an honour previously won by the likes of Zico
Zico
Arthur Antunes Coimbra , better known as Zico , is a Brazilian coach and former footballer. He is the current head coach of the Iraq national football team. Often called the "White Pelé", he is commonly considered one of the most skilled finishers and one of the best passers ever and possibly the...
, Falcão
Falcao
Falcao or Falcão may refer to* Élson Falcão da Silva , Brazilian football player* Radamel Falcao, Colombian footballer* Alessandro Rosa Vieira , nicknamed Falcão, Brazilian futsal and football player...
, Careca, Alex
Alexsandro de Souza
Alexsandro de Souza, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Turkish club Fenerbahçe.He is a former captain of the Brazilian national team, he has also played for Coritiba, Palmeiras, Flamengo and Cruzeiro in Brazil and Parma in Serie A.-In Brazil:Alex first played professionally for Coritiba, a...
, Romario
Romário
Romário de Souza Faria , better known simply as Romário , is a former footballer who played striker,manager and current politician where is currently running for a mayor like position in his hometown...
, Robinho
Robinho
Robson de Souza , more commonly known as Robinho, is a Brazilian professional footballer who currently plays as second striker and winger for Serie A club AC Milan...
, Kaká
Kaká
Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite , commonly known as Kaká , is a Brazilian football attacking midfielder who currently plays for Spanish La Liga club Real Madrid and the Brazilian national team. Kaká started his footballing career at the age of eight, when he began playing for a local club...
and Tévez
Carlos Tévez
Carlos Alberto Tévez is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a forward for English club Manchester City...
.
His form in 2006 led to reported interest from many major European clubs including offers from top Spanish clubs and Inter. It was Liverpool
Liverpool F.C.
Liverpool Football Club is an English Premier League football club based in Liverpool, Merseyside. Liverpool has won eighteen League titles, second most in English football, seven FA Cups and a record seven League Cups...
that proved most attractive to the player, however, and on 13 May 2007 the club confirmed they had signed the player from Grêmio before the start of the 2007–08 season. The transfer fee was in the region of £6 million. Lucas remained with Grêmio until the end of their 2007 Copa Libertadores
Copa Libertadores 2007
The 2007 Copa Libertadores de América was the 48th edition of the Copa Libertadores. It started on January 24, 2007 and finished on June 20, 2007...
campaign. They made it to the final where they met Boca Juniors
Boca Juniors
Club Atlético Boca Juniors is an Argentine sports club based in La Boca neighborhood of Buenos Aires. It is best known for its professional football team, which currently plays in the Primera División....
. However, Lucas had a niggling injury, causing him to start the first leg on the bench. With Grêmio 1–0 down, Sandro Goiano was sent off. Lucas was brought on to help shore up the midfield, but to no avail as Grêmio lost 3–0. Lucas was back in the starting line-up for the second leg, but Grêmio were again defeated, this time 2–0.
2007-08 season
On 26 July 2007, he was officially unveiled as a Liverpool player for a fee of £5 million and was given international clearance to compete in the final of the Barclays Asia Trophy. Manager Rafael BenítezRafael Benítez
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....
was pleased with his signing, saying: "I am looking forward to seeing him score goals for Liverpool in the future and [we] believe he has the mentality and the character you need to do well in England". The next day, Lucas made his debut against Portsmouth, coming on for Mohamed Sissoko
Mohamed Sissoko
Mohamed Lamine Sissoko Gillan is a French-born Malian footballer who is currently playing for the French Ligue 1 team Paris-Saint Germain and the Malian national team. Although he could have elected to play for France internationally, he chose to play for the country of his descent, Mali...
in the second half. He also won a penalty in the match against Everton after Phil Neville handballed on the line from Lucas' shot.
By late November, manager Benítez gave Lucas his chance to start a game in the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
midfield, after easing him in during his first few months at the club. Lucas scored his first goal for Liverpool on 27 January 2008 when he curled a 25-yard shot into the top corner during an FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
match against Havant and Waterlooville, becoming the first Brazilian to score for Liverpool. The young Brazilian also started league games against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
and Arsenal
Arsenal F.C.
Arsenal Football Club is a professional English Premier League football club based in North London. One of the most successful clubs in English football, it has won 13 First Division and Premier League titles and 10 FA Cups...
, as well as both Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
games against Inter Milan
F.C. Internazionale Milano
Football Club Internazionale Milano, often referred to as Internazionale or simply Inter, is a professional Italian football club based in Milan, Italy. Outside Italy, the club is often called Inter Milan. They are the reigning FIFA Club World champions and Coppa Italia holders.Inter have always...
.
2008-09 season
The start of the 2008–09 season signified an important turning point for his career. Many commentators expected him to step up to the next level after completing his first season with the Reds. The Brazilian got off to a good start with a well taken opening goal in a 2–1 friendly win over Swiss side FC LucerneFC Lucerne
FC Luzern is a Swiss football club, founded in 1901. The club colors are blue and white, derived from the Canton of Lucerne and the City of Lucerne coats of arms.- History :...
in July. He impressed in pre-season games but missed the start of Premier League season due to his selection for the Brazilian Olympic Team in the Beijing Olympics.
He returned with a bronze medal and Benítez had high hopes for the Brazilian's future, stating "this season he will improve because he is a very, very good professional and has experience of the Olympic Games". Lucas noted that Liverpool's squad was much improved from the previous season and relished the opportunity to compete for trophies, despite the increased difficulty of getting a first team place. However, after a number of disappointing performances, both critics and fans voiced concerns about Lucas' quality and his confidence was further knocked when Liverpool fans booed him after a lacklustre draw against Fulham
Fulham F.C.
Fulham Football Club is a professional English Premier League club based in southwest London Fulham, in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Founded in 1879, they play in the Premier League, their 11th current season...
. The criticism irked Benítez and he responded with a passionate defence of the player, saying that "people just don't know how good Lucas is" Benitez also underlined Lucas' credentials, stating that he had been captain for both Grêmio and his national youth team, and that competing for place against Mascherano, Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
and Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso
Xabier "Xabi" Alonso Olano is a Spanish World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Real Madrid as a midfielder.Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad, the main team of his home region Gipuzkoa. After a brief loan period at Eibar he returned to Sociedad where then manager John Toshack appointed...
was inherently difficult. Lucas' performances in December 2008 for Liverpool drew him much praise from pundits, the highlight being his performance in the 5–1 thrashing of Newcastle, where he provided an assist for Steven Gerrard. Lucas was sent off in a cup tie against Mersey rivals Everton, which Liverpool lost. This compounded his growing unpopularity amongst Liverpool's supporters, after he gave away a late penalty in Liverpool's previous match, a 1–1 draw with Wigan.
On 14 March, Lucas played a key role in Liverpool's 4–1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. Lucas started in place of the injured Xabi Alonso
Xabi Alonso
Xabier "Xabi" Alonso Olano is a Spanish World Cup-winning footballer who plays for Real Madrid as a midfielder.Alonso began his career at Real Sociedad, the main team of his home region Gipuzkoa. After a brief loan period at Eibar he returned to Sociedad where then manager John Toshack appointed...
. On 14 April, Lucas played against Chelsea
Chelsea F.C.
Chelsea Football Club are an English football club based in West London. Founded in 1905, they play in the Premier League and have spent most of their history in the top tier of English football. Chelsea have been English champions four times, FA Cup winners six times and League Cup winners four...
in the Champions League
UEFA Champions League
The UEFA Champions League, known simply the Champions League and originally known as the European Champion Clubs' Cup or European Cup, is an annual international club football competition organised by the Union of European Football Associations since 1955 for the top football clubs in Europe. It...
, in place of Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
. He scored a goal with his long range effort in the 81st minute deflected off Michael Essien and past Cech to make the score 3–3. Dirk Kuyt's header a minute later briefly gave Liverpool the lead, but Frank Lampard's 89th minute strike leveled the score to 4–4, with Chelsea winning 7–5 on aggregate to go through to the semi-finals of the tournament.
On 3 May 2009, Lucas scored his first Premier League goal for Liverpool against Newcastle United in a 3–0 win.
2009-10 season
During the 2009–10 pre-season period, Lucas showed good form scoring Liverpool's only goal in a 1–2 loss against Atletico Madrid. This form earned praise from manager Rafael BenitezRafael Benítez
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....
, and gained him a start against Tottenham Hotspur for the opening game of the 09/10 season on August 16. Liverpool lost 1–2 but Lucas earned praise for a solid performance all round.
Lucas appeared in Liverpool's opening six games of the 2009/10 season, never previously having played six games consecutively for the club. Lucas has been playing continuously since the departure of Alonso.
The 2009/2010 season has seen a large increase in the form of the young Brazilian. On 8 April 2010, Lucas scored his second European goal for Liverpool, scoring in Liverpool's 4–1 (5–3 aggregate) quarter final win over Benfica in the UEFA Europa League quarter-finals.
2010–11 season
In pre-season games before the 2010-11 season, Lucas was made captain of a youthful Liverpool side against Grasshopper.On 16 September 2010, Lucas scored his sixth goal for Liverpool shortly after replacing Ryan Babel
Ryan Babel
Ryan Guno Babel is a Dutch football player who currently plays for TSG 1899 Hoffenheim. He can play as a left winger and as a striker. Babel began his career at AFC Ajax in 1998, working his way up through the youth team and into the senior squad...
in Liverpool's first Europa League group stage
2010–11 UEFA Europa League group stage
This article details the 2010–11 UEFA Europa League group stage.The group stage featured 48 teams: the title holders, Atlético Madrid, the 37 winners of the play-off round, and the 10 losing teams from the Champions League play-off round...
match against Steaua Bucureşti. The goal was Liverpool's third in a 4-1 victory and was scored from 22 yards. On 13 November, Lucas was sent off for the second time in his Liverpool career after being shown a second yellow card in injury time in Liverpool's 2-0 defeat to Stoke City. On 6 December, Lucas was voted the fan's pick for man of the match on the official Liverpool website. Lucas assisted a Ryan Babel goal in a 3-0 win over Aston Villa. On 12 February 2011, Lucas made his 100th Premier League appearance for Liverpool in a 1-1 draw with Wigan Athletic
Wigan Athletic F.C.
Wigan Athletic Football Club is an English Premier League Association football club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester, having been promoted from the Championship in 2005. Wigan's current spell in the Premier League is the only top flight run in the club's history.They have played at the DW...
at Anfield
Anfield
Anfield is an association football stadium in the district of Anfield, Liverpool, England, with a seating capacity of 45,522. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892 and was originally the home of Everton F.C. from 1884 to 1892, before they moved to Goodison Park...
.
In the absence of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
, Lucas has grown into a first-team regular and the heart lynch-pin of Liverpool's midfield forming partnerships with Christian Poulsen
Christian Poulsen
Christian Bjørnshøj Poulsen is a Danish footballer who plays for Evian in Ligue 1. He has played for a number of European clubs, winning the Danish Superliga championship with F.C...
, Raul Meireles and more recently Jay Spearing
Jay Spearing
Jay Francis Spearing is an English footballer who plays for Liverpool as a Defensive midfielder. He was originally spotted playing for amateur Wallasey side Greenleas alongside former Liverpool professional Craig Lindfield....
. His positive attitude and tackling ability have earned him Brazil call-ups, featuring in all of Brazil's games under new coach Mano Menezes as well as recognition as Liverpool's most consistent player of the season.
On 30 March, Lucas signed a new long term contract at Liverpool. On 17th April, during Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Arsenal at Emirates Staidum, Lucas played a pivotal role in ousting out Cesc Fàbregas
Cesc Fàbregas
Francesc "Cesc" Fàbregas i Soler is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona.Fàbregas started his career as a trainee with Barcelona but was signed by Premier League side Arsenal in September 2003 at the age of 16...
in midfield, whilst showing a deft touch in the dying moments to earn his side a freekick in the last minute. His quick reaction time to then reach the loose ball from the resulting free kick, under which he was then tackled in the penalty area, earned his side a penalty, which Dirk Kuyt
Dirk Kuyt
Dirk Kuyt is a Dutch footballer who plays for English club Liverpool. He started his career as a striker, but he has been converted into a winger and plays the position for both Liverpool and the Netherlands national team....
converted. Following the game, Kenny Dalglish
Kenny Dalglish
Kenneth Mathieson "Kenny" Dalglish MBE is a Scottish former footballer and the current manager of Liverpool F.C.. In a 22-year playing career, he played for two club teams, Celtic and Liverpool, winning numerous honours with both. He is the most capped Scottish player, with 102 appearances, and...
praised "...he may be the one who stops the guy (opponent) going past the first fella then sets us on our way (creates attacks)," drawing growing comparisons to Xavi
Xavi
Xavier Hernández i Creus , commonly known as Xavi Hernández or simply Xavi , is a Spanish footballer who plays as a central midfielder for La Liga club FC Barcelona, where he has spent his entire 14-year career....
and 1994 World Cup winner and captain, Dunga
Dunga
Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri , commonly known as Dunga , is a former Brazilian football defensive midfielder and a World Champion for Brazil in the 1994 World Cup...
. On 24 May, Lucas was voted the Standard Chartered Fans player of the year for the 2010-11 season, winning 40% of the 129,774 votes cast. He also made the most tackles in the top 4 European leagues in the 2010-2011 season.
2011-2012 season
After a excellent run of form for Liverpool FC his season was cut short on 1 December, it was confirmed he was out for the remainder of the season after he suffered a anterior cruciate ligament injury after he collided with ChelseaChelsea
Chelsea may refer to:* Chelsea , a carbonated, low-alcohol beverage* Chelsea boots* Chelsea bun, a cake* Chelsea chic-United Kingdom:* Chelsea, London** Chelsea tube station, a proposed railway station...
player Juan Mata in the 2-0 win over Chelsea
Chelsea
Chelsea may refer to:* Chelsea , a carbonated, low-alcohol beverage* Chelsea boots* Chelsea bun, a cake* Chelsea chic-United Kingdom:* Chelsea, London** Chelsea tube station, a proposed railway station...
in the quarter final of the Carling Cup.
International career
Lucas is the former captain of the Brazilian Under-20 team. He led the team to victory in the 2007 South American Youth Championship2007 South American Youth Championship
The 2007 South American Youth Championship is a football competition contested by all ten U-20 national football teams of CONMEBOL. The tournament was held in Paraguay between January 7 and January 28, 2007, it was the 23rd time the competition has been held and the 4th to take place in Paraguay...
, scoring 4 goals in the process. He was expected to lead the team again in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup
The 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup was the sixteenth edition of the FIFA U-20 World Cup , hosted by Canada from June 30 to July 22, 2007. Argentina defeated Czech Republic in the title game by the score of 2–1, thus managing a back-to-back world title, its fifth in the past seven editions, and sixth...
held in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
in July 2007 and was named in their squad. However an injury in training kept him from playing for 3 weeks, leading to his withdrawal from the squad.
In October 2006, Lucas was included in the senior Brazilian squad for friendlies against Kuwaiti club Al-Kuwait and Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. Lucas was both the youngest member and one of only two non-Europe based players in a strong squad. He made his debut for Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
on 7 October 2006 coming on as a second half substitute against Al-Kuwait. Brazil won the match 4–0. However, this appearance does not count as his first cap as the match was not considered an official friendly match by FIFA
FIFA
The Fédération Internationale de Football Association , commonly known by the acronym FIFA , is the international governing body of :association football, futsal and beach football. Its headquarters are located in Zurich, Switzerland, and its president is Sepp Blatter, who is in his fourth...
.
Lucas gained his first official Brazil international cap on 22 August 2007, coming on as a substitute in a friendly against Algeria
Algeria national football team
The Algeria national football team , nicknamed الأفنــاك, Les Fennecs , represents Algeria in association football and is controlled by the Fédération Algérienne de Football. Algeria's home ground is the Stade 5 Juillet 1962 in Algiers and their head coach is Vahid Halilhodžić.Algeria has qualified...
. In June 2008, Lucas was named in the Brazil squad for an Olympics warm-up match later in the month.
On 19 August, Lucas was shown a red card in the Olympic semi-final between Brazil and Argentina after a challenge on then Liverpool team-mate Javier Mascherano, as Argentina ran out 3–0 winners. In August 2009, Lucas was recalled to the senior Brazil squad in place of Flamengo's José Kléberson
José Kleberson
José Kléberson Pereira , commonly known as José Kléberson or simply Kléberson, is a Brazilian football centre midfielder who plays for Brazilian club Atlético Paranaense on loan from Flamengo.-Club career:...
, who was absent through injury. After missing out on the Brazil world cup squad in South Africa, Lucas played the full 90 minutes in a friendly against the United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
on 10 August 2010.
On the 17th of July 2011 Lucas was shown a straight red card in the Copa America Play-Off semi final against Paraguay. Brazil went on to lose this match on penalties after the 90 minutes finished 0-0.
Playing style
Lucas came to Liverpool from Gremio as an attacking midfielder, however Rafael BenitezRafael Benítez
Rafael "Rafa" Benítez Maudes is a football manager, and former player. He is currently unemployed, after leaving as manager of Internazionale in December 2010....
oversaw his transition into a holding midfielder. The energetic Leiva has been a consistent performer in the 2010/11 season, with a high average tackle and pass success and numerous interceptions; a consequence of his accurate decisions and high work rate. He has also gained a reputation as a "big-game player" as he seems to perform well under the pressure of important matches and shut down dangerous opponents. Following the 2010/2011 season, Lucas received plaudits from technically-gifted Fábio Aurélio
Fábio Aurélio
Fábio Aurélio Rodrigues is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Liverpool of the Premier League, having previously played for São Paulo and Valencia. He plays as either a left back or left winger and has represented Brazil at Under-17 and Under-20 levels and at the 2000 Sydney Olympics...
claiming "He is much more mature, stronger physically and knows more about how to win games. He has shown great personality and capability to change things around," a mark of his growing creativity and passing ability, whilst Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard
Steven Gerrard
Steven George Gerrard MBE is an English footballer who plays for and captains Premier League club Liverpool. He also has 89 caps for the England national team. He has played much of his career in a centre midfielder role, but he has also been used as a second striker and right winger...
proclaimed "Lucas Leiva was our best player last season," as he dominated the middle of the park.
Personal life
On the 19th March 2011 it emerged that Leiva had become a first time father of his son Pedro Lucas, which was celebrated after goals scored by Dirk Kuyt and Luis Suarez against Sunderland. He and his fellow team-mates ran to the crowd rocking their arms like a cradle.Career statistics
| Club | Season |  Brazilian LeagueCampeonato Brasileiro Série A The Campeonato Brasileiro de Clubes da Série A , popularly known as the Brasileirão , is a professional football league at the top of the Brazilian football league system held annually since 1959. Contested by twenty clubs, it operates a system of promotion and relegation with the Série B... |
Copa do Brasil Copa do Brasil The Copa Kia do Brasil, commonly known as Copa do Brasil , is a knockout competition played by 64 association football teams, representing all 26 Brazilian states plus the Federal District... |
Campeonato Gaúcho Campeonato Gaúcho The Campeonato da Primeira Divisão de Futebol Profissional da FGF is the top tier of the footballleague of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.-Clubs:Clubs qualified to Campeonato Gaúcho Primeira Divisão 2011.*Canoas*Caxias... |
Libertadores CONMEBOL The South American Football Confederation , commonly known as CONMEBOL , is the continental governing body of association football in South America and it is one of FIFA's six continental confederations... |
Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | App | Goals | ||
| Grêmio Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense, commonly known as just Grêmio , is a Brazilian professional association football team based in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul founded by English and German immigrants on September 15, 1903. Major titles captured by Grêmio include one Intercontinental Cup, two Copa... |
2005 Campeonato Brasileiro Série B 2005 The Campeonato Brasileiro Série B 2005, the second level of Brazilian National League, was played from April 23 to November 26, 2005. The competition had 22 clubs, which two were promoted to Série A and six were relegated to Série C.... |
3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | 3 | 0 |
| 2006 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 2006 The 36th season of the Campeonato Brasileiro began on April 15, 2006, and reached its end on December 3, 2006.-Format:The format was similar to the 2005 edition, though fielding two fewer teams. 20 teams competed, each team playing the other in a home-and-away format... |
32 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 16 | 0 | - | - | 52 | 5 | |
| 2007 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A 2007 The 37th season of the Campeonato Brasileiro began on May 12, 2007, and ended on December 2, 2007.-Format:The format was identical to the 2006 edition. 20 teams competed, each team playing the other 19 twice in a double round-robin format... |
3 | 0 | - | - | 9 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 20 | 3 | |
| Club Total | 38 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 25 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 75 | 8 | |
 Premier League |
FA Cup FA Cup The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's... |
League Cup League Cup In association football, a League Cup or Secondary Cup generally signifies a cup competition for which entry is restricted only to teams in a particular league. The first national association football tournament to be called "League Cup" was held in Scotland in 1946/47 and was entitled the Scottish... |
Europe UEFA The Union of European Football Associations , almost always referred to by its acronym UEFA is the administrative and controlling body for European association football, futsal and beach soccer.... |
Total | |||||||
| Liverpool | 2007–08 | 18 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 32 | 1 |
| 2008–09 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 39 | 3 | |
| 2009–10 | 35 | 0 | 2 | 0 | - | - | 13 | 1 | 50 | 1 | |
| 2010–11 | 33 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 47 | 1 | |
| 2011–12 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| Club Total | 123 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 9 | 1 | 42 | 3 | 183 | 6 | |
| Career totals | 161 | 5 | 13 | 2 | 34 | 3 | 50 | 4 | 258 | 14 | |
Career honours
Grêmio- Winner
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série BCampeonato Brasileiro Série BThe Série B is the second division of Brazilian football. It is played by 20 teams. However, the competition format has changed almost every year since it first occurred, in 1971. In some years, it was not played altogether...
: 2005 - Campeonato GaúchoCampeonato GaúchoThe Campeonato da Primeira Divisão de Futebol Profissional da FGF is the top tier of the footballleague of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.-Clubs:Clubs qualified to Campeonato Gaúcho Primeira Divisão 2011.*Canoas*Caxias...
: 2006, 2007
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série B
- Runner-up
- Copa Libertadores: 2007
Brazil
- Winner
- 2007 South American U-20 Championship2007 South American Youth ChampionshipThe 2007 South American Youth Championship is a football competition contested by all ten U-20 national football teams of CONMEBOL. The tournament was held in Paraguay between January 7 and January 28, 2007, it was the 23rd time the competition has been held and the 4th to take place in Paraguay...
- 2007 South American U-20 Championship
- Bronze Medal
- 2008 Beijing Olympic Games
- Winner
- 2004 Sendai Cup – Brazil U-17
Liverpool
- Winner
- Premier Reserve League: 2008
- Liverpool FC Player of the Season: 2010-11
- Liverpool FC Young Player of The Year: 2010
Personal Awards
- Winner
- Bola de OuroBola de OuroThe Bola de Ouro is an award given each year, since 1973, by the authoritative Brazilian magazine Placar to the best player in the Brazilian National Championship. It is practically the equivalent to a Footballer of the Year award...
(Brazilian Footballer of the year): 2006
- Bola de Ouro
External links
- Liverpool FC profile
- Thisisanfield.com player profile
- Lucas Leiva UK Unofficial Fansite
- Profile on Gremio.net (Portuguese)
- Video Compilation with all his goals and skills
- Profile on footballdatabase.com
- Lucas Leiva- Will Liverpool Go Nuts For The Brazilian Gerrard? (Article by Dave Westy on Sportingo.com, following Lucas Leiva's league debut against Everton)
- LFChistory.net player profile
- ESPN Profile