Luís Leal (footballer)


Luís Leal dos Anjos, known as Leal, is a Santomean professional footballer who plays for Argentine club Newell's Old Boys as a striker.
He achieved Primeira Liga totals of 67 games and 19 goals for União Leiria, Estoril and Belenenses, but spent most of his career abroad, playing top-flight football in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Cyprus, Paraguay, Mexico and Argentina.

Club career

Portugal

Born in Arrentela, Setúbal District in Portugal, Leal joined Sporting CP's youth system at the age of 11, moving after four years to C.D. Cova da Piedade. He made his senior debut with the latter, playing a couple of seasons in the fourth division.
Leal then had two solid campaigns in the third level, one apiece with Atlético Clube de Portugal and Moreirense FC, continuing his professional progression in summer 2010 by signing with G.D. Estoril Praia in division two. He made his debut in the Primeira Liga in the 2011–12 campaign with U.D. Leiria, appearing in his first game in the competition on 15 August 2011 against Académica de Coimbra.
In 2012, after Leiria's relegation, Leal returned to Estoril, with the team now in the top flight. He started the season in impressive fashion, scoring a hat-trick in a 3–1 home win over C.S. Marítimo and one in a 2–2 draw at former club Sporting.

Abroad

On 18 June 2015, after brief spells at Al-Ahli SC, Al-Ittihad Kalba SC and Gaziantepspor, Leal signed a two-year contract with Cypriot First Division club APOEL FC. He made his debut on 14 July, in a 0–0 home draw against FK Vardar for the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League.
Leal scored his first two goals for APOEL on 22 August 2015, in a 5–1 away victory over Ermis Aradippou FC. Eight days later, however, after underperforming in the Champions League's qualifiers, he was sent on loan to C.F. Os Belenenses until the end of the season.
On 26 January 2016, Leal joined Cerro Porteño for an undisclosed fee, agreeing to a two-year deal. He made his debut in the Paraguayan Primera División five days later, in a 1–2 away loss against Sportivo Luqueño where he came on as a 64th-minute substitute for Sergio Díaz; one week later, he scored a double to help to a 3–0 home win over General Caballero Sport Club.
Leal returned to the Saudi Professional League in August 2016, joining Al-Fateh SC. Only months into his spell at the Prince Abdullah bin Jalawi Stadium, the player's agent Óscar Díaz stated that he wanted to return to Cerro. He left in January 2017, signing for Chiapas F.C. in Mexico's Liga MX. His first goal for the Jaguares was on 26 February, the team's last in a 4–3 home comeback win over CD Guadalajara.
In August 2017, Leal returned to South America, loaned for a US$150,000 fee to Newell's Old Boys in Argentina with the option to buy. He scored his first goal in the Argentine Primera División on 16 September to open a 2–0 home defeat of Club Olimpo. In July 2018, he signed a three-year contract when the Rosario-based club purchased 85% of his economic rights.

International career

Born in Portugal, Leal expressed his desire to represent his parents' homeland of São Tomé and Príncipe internationally. He made his debut on 16 June 2012 in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Sierra Leone, and scored his first goal on 13 June 2015 in the 1–7 defeat in Cape Verde for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
In October 2019, Leal scored three of São Tomé and Príncipe's goals in a 5–2 aggregate win over Mauritius to reach the group stage of qualification for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.

Career statistics

Club

International

International goals

No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.13 June 2015Estádio Nacional, Praia, Cape Verde
1–5
1–7
2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
2.8 October 2015Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho, São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe
1–0
1–0
2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.23 March 2016Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho, São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe
2–1
2–1
2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
4.9 October 2019Anjalay Stadium, Belle Vue Harel, Mauritius
1–1
3–1
2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
5.9 October 2019Anjalay Stadium, Belle Vue Harel, Mauritius
2–1
3–1
2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification
6.13 October 2019Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho, São Tomé, São Tomé and Príncipe
2–0
2–1
2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualification