| Léo Aro | |
| Full Name: | Leonardo Augusto Gomes Aro |
| Birth Date: | 14 December 1983 |
| Birth Place: | Jundiaí, Brazil |
| Height: | 1.77 m |
| Position: | Winger |
| Youthyears1: | 1999–2000 |
| Youthclubs1: | Guarani |
| Years1: | 2001–2005 |
| Clubs1: | Guarani |
| Caps1: | 36 |
| Goals1: | 6 |
| Years2: | 2003 |
| Clubs2: | → Botafogo (loan) |
| Years3: | 2003 |
| Clubs3: | → Juventude (loan) |
| Caps3: | 4 |
| Goals3: | 0 |
| Years4: | 2005 |
| Clubs4: | Paulista |
| Years5: | 2006–2009 |
| Clubs5: | Internacional |
| Caps5: | 22 |
| Goals5: | 8 |
| Years6: | 2007 |
| Clubs6: | → Figueirense (loan) |
| Caps6: | 3 |
| Goals6: | 0 |
| Years7: | 2008–2009 |
| Clubs7: | → Lecce (loan) |
| Caps7: | 0 |
| Goals7: | 0 |
| Years8: | 2009 |
| Clubs8: | Paulista |
| Caps8: | 13 |
| Goals8: | 2 |
| Years9: | 2009–2010 |
| Clubs9: | Leixões |
| Caps9: | 11 |
| Goals9: | 1 |
| Years10: | 2011 |
| Clubs10: | Comercial-SP |
| Caps10: | 9 |
| Goals10: | 1 |
| Years11: | 2012 |
| Clubs11: | Marilia |
| Caps11: | 19 |
| Goals11: | 2 |
| Years12: | 2012–2013 |
| Clubs12: | Esportivo |
| Caps12: | 11 |
| Goals12: | 1 |
| Years13: | 2013 |
| Clubs13: | Bragantino-SP |
| Caps13: | 7 |
| Goals13: | 0 |
| Years14: | 2014 |
| Clubs14: | Guarani |
| Caps14: | 4 |
| Goals14: | 0 |
| Years15: | 2016 |
| Clubs15: | Inter de Limeira |
| Caps15: | 10 |
| Goals15: | 1 |
| Years16: | 2017 |
| Clubs16: | Taubaté |
| Caps16: | 9 |
| Goals16: | 1 |
Leonardo Augusto Gomes Aro (born 14 December 1983), known as Léo Aro, is a Brazilian former professional footballer who played as a winger.[1]
A Guarani youth product, Léo Aro was coached by Evaristo Piza's father at the club.[2] He scored on his senior debut for Guarani against Corinthians.[2] In 2005, he won the Copa do Brasil with Paulista, also scoring in the final against Fluminense.[2] Having signed for Internacional in 2006, he was part of the squad that won the 2006 Copa Libertadores and the 2006 FIFA Club World Cup.[2] He was not initially included in Internacional's 23-man squad for the FIFA Club World Cup but was called up by coach Abel Braga after Colombian forward Wason Rentería sustained an injury.[3] Also at Internacional, Léo Aro considered teammate Fernandão a father figure.[2]
He spent time abroad in Europe in 2009 and 2010, with Italian club Lecce and Portuguese side Leixões.[4] At both clubs, he played little, making three and 13 appearances, respectively.[4]
In 2011 Léo Aro returned to Brazil with Comercial-SP, going on to play for lower-league sides such as Marilia and Bragantino-SP.[4] He re-joined former club Guarani in 2014, making few appearances.[4]
He played for Inter de Limeira in the first half of the 2016 season.[2] On 28 December 2016, Taubaté, coached by Evaristo Piza,[5] announced Léo Aro would join the club for the 2017 season in Campeonato Paulista Série A2.[2] He was Taubaté's first signing for the 2017 season.[5] He left the club in April 2017, having made his last appearance on 15 April 2017 in a 3–2 win over São Caetano,[4] and subsequently retired from playing.[4]
"A fast and technically gifted player", Léo Aro's preferred playing position was winger but he could also play as a centre-forward.[5] In 2018, after Léo Aro's retirement, Ge.globo's journalist Luiz Felipe Longo stated that Léo Aro's career had been "far less brilliant than expected".[4]
After his retirement from playing Léo Aro studied to become a fitness coach and had an internship with Ponte Preta's amputee football team.[4] He had started a physical education course in 2002, while at Guarani, which he interrupted in favour of his playing career.[4] In 2020, he said he had completed his degree in physical education in 2018.[3]
Léo Aro has a son, who in August 2018 was ten years old.[4]
Paulista
Internacional