Leonardo turns 45
Left-back of the Brazilian championship, the star established himself at Flamengo at just 18 years old; Maestro Junior congratulates him
By Communication - Official Club Website - in
This Friday (05.09), Leonardo Nascimento de Araújo turns 45, one of the players who proved the maxim "Flamengo makes cracks at home". The Gávea native made his debut in the professional team in 1987, on the day he turned 18. His coming-of-age gift would come that same season, with a starting spot after coming off the bench to take the field in the first round of the Brazilian Championship and with the fourth national championship, being the youngest player in the squad and one of the 5 players who won the 1987 Brazilian title and who were world champions for the Brazilian National Team in 1994, alongside Jorginho, Aldair, Zinho and Bebeto.
The Niteroi native also played as a midfielder for the Mais Querido, having represented the Red and Black from 1987 to 1990 as a left-back, returning in 2002 after nearly 12 years away from Flamengo. In his second stint, the star played as a midfielder, as he had been for the previous 10 years. Leo played eight games in a month and a half, and soon retired. In total, he played 178 games and scored 10 goals for the Manto Sagrado. His list of titles included the 1987 Brazilian Championship, the 1988 and 1989 Guanabara Cups, the 1988/ESP Colombino Tournament, and the 1989 Hamburg International Tournament.
When the club won its first Copa do Brasil in 1990, Leonardo was no longer with Flamengo, but he participated in the campaign and was decisive in the round of 1, when he scored two of the club's three goals in both games against Taguatinga-DF: in a 1-2 draw away from home and in a 0-1981 victory at the José Bastos Padilha stadium in Gávea. In February of the same year, in Zico's farewell at Maracanã, Leonardo scored one of the goals for the Mais Querido, represented by the 1 (1990st half) and 2 (2nd half) teams, who drew 2-XNUMX with a combination of international stars who were friends of Galinho. Recently, the idols met again in another commemorative game, this time for Maestro Junior's 60th birthday. Leo scored one of the goals for the White Team, led by Zico, who lost 8-6 to the Red Team, captained by the host of the party, who, in an interview with the Official Website, returned the congratulations.
"Talking about Leo is certainly one of the easiest things. He's an extremely polite figure at all times, with a way of seeing things simply and always objectively. When he said I was one of his idols back then, today I can say that about you, my friend, for everything I've seen of your wonderful career, on and especially off the field. Congratulations on everything," the Maestro wished.
The Niteroi native also played as a midfielder for the Mais Querido, having represented the Red and Black from 1987 to 1990 as a left-back, returning in 2002 after nearly 12 years away from Flamengo. In his second stint, the star played as a midfielder, as he had been for the previous 10 years. Leo played eight games in a month and a half, and soon retired. In total, he played 178 games and scored 10 goals for the Manto Sagrado. His list of titles included the 1987 Brazilian Championship, the 1988 and 1989 Guanabara Cups, the 1988/ESP Colombino Tournament, and the 1989 Hamburg International Tournament.
When the club won its first Copa do Brasil in 1990, Leonardo was no longer with Flamengo, but he participated in the campaign and was decisive in the round of 1, when he scored two of the club's three goals in both games against Taguatinga-DF: in a 1-2 draw away from home and in a 0-1981 victory at the José Bastos Padilha stadium in Gávea. In February of the same year, in Zico's farewell at Maracanã, Leonardo scored one of the goals for the Mais Querido, represented by the 1 (1990st half) and 2 (2nd half) teams, who drew 2-XNUMX with a combination of international stars who were friends of Galinho. Recently, the idols met again in another commemorative game, this time for Maestro Junior's 60th birthday. Leo scored one of the goals for the White Team, led by Zico, who lost 8-6 to the Red Team, captained by the host of the party, who, in an interview with the Official Website, returned the congratulations.
"Talking about Leo is certainly one of the easiest things. He's an extremely polite figure at all times, with a way of seeing things simply and always objectively. When he said I was one of his idols back then, today I can say that about you, my friend, for everything I've seen of your wonderful career, on and especially off the field. Congratulations on everything," the Maestro wished.