Leandro_Velázquez
Leandro Velázquez
Argentine footballer
Leandro Sebastián Velázquez (born 10 May 1989) is an Argentine professional footballer who last plays as an attacking midfielder for Malaysia Super League club Johor Darul Ta'zim. As of 2024, he is a free agent.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leandro Sebastián Velázquez | ||
| Date of birth | (1989-05-10) 10 May 1989 (age 34) | ||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||
| Position(s) | Attacking midfielder | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Vélez Sársfield | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008–2014 | Vélez Sársfield | 45 | (3) |
| 2010–2011 | → Newell's Old Boys (loan) | 14 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | → San Martín de San Juan (loan) | 14 | (0) |
| 2014 | Independiente Rivadavia | 14 | (1) |
| 2015 | Johor Darul Ta'zim II | 29 | (16) |
| 2015 | → Johor Darul Ta'zim (loan) | 2 | (1) |
| 2016 | Deportivo Pasto | 34 | (5) |
| 2016–2018 | Veracruz | 16 | (1) |
| 2018–2019 | Rionegro Águilas | 18 | (3) |
| 2019–2023 | Johor Darul Ta'zim | 77 | (25) |
| International career | |||
| 2009 | Argentina U20 | 9 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 29 July 2023 | |||
Vélez Sársfield
Leandro made his league debut for Vélez Sársfield in the week before his 19th birthday. He played in a 1–1 draw with Racing on 4 April 2008. He scored his first goal against Estudiantes de La Plata in the Torneo Apertura 2008 and was part of the winning team in the Torneo Clausura 2009. Leandro entered the field during the last game against Huracán when Vélez needed a victory to become champion, and was replaced by Leandro Coronel immediately after the team scored the winning goal.
Loan to Newell's Old Boys
Leandro was loaned for the 2009–10 season to Newell's Old Boys.[1]
Johor Darul Ta'zim
In October 2015, Leandro was called up in the starting eleven in the 2015 AFC Cup Final squad for Johor Darul Ta'zim, where he scored the winning goal in a 1–0 victory against Istiklol.
Deportivo Pasto
On 17 January 2016, Leandro left Johor Darul Ta'zim and joined Deportivo Pasto with free transfer fee.
Return to Johor Darul Ta;zim
On 21 February 2019, Johor Darul Ta'zim confirm the return signing of Velazquez in the Johor Darul Ta'zim squad.[2] On 30 April 2022, during the last fixture of the 2022 AFC Champions League group stage, he scored a free kick against 2021 K League 1 runners-up, Ulsan Hyundai which ended up with Johor progressing as group winners to the Round of 16.
In January 2009, Leandro was selected to join the Argentina U20 squad for the 2009 South American Youth Championship in Venezuela. However, His team failed to qualify for the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Having played in Malaysia since 2019, there is a possibility of Velázquez being naturalized as a Malaysian citizen in the future, thus enabling him to play for the Malaysia national team.[3][4]
Club
Vélez Sársfield
Johor Darul Ta'zim
- "Velázquez, con pilcha rojinegra" (in Spanish). La Capital. 23 June 2010. Archived from the original on 26 June 2010. Retrieved 23 June 2010.
- "BREAKING: Malaysia Super League champions JDT confirm signing of former star Leandro Velazquez". Fox Sports. 21 February 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2019.
- "Leandro Velazquez Bakal Jadi Bintang Naturalisasi Harimau Malaya?". MakanBola (in Malay). Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- "TMJ syor Velazquez pemain naturalisasi terbaru". Harian Metro (in Malay). Harian Metro. Retrieved 24 October 2023.
- "Johor Darul Ta'zim win 8th consecutive Malaysia Super League title". ESPN. 17 September 2021. Retrieved 27 August 2021.
- "Charity Shield: JDT thrash KL City FC 3–0". Malay Mail. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
- Leandro Velázquez at Liga MX (archive) (in Spanish)
- Leandro Velázquez at ESPN FC
- Argentine Primera statistics at Fútbol XXI (in Spanish) at the Wayback Machine (archived 2012-06-12)
- Leandro Velázquez at Soccerway