Leandro Cabrera Explained

Leandro Cabrera
Full Name:Leandro Daniel Cabrera Sasía
Birth Date:17 June 1991[1]
Birth Place:Montevideo, Uruguay
Height:1.90 m[2]
Position:Defender
Currentclub:Espanyol
Clubnumber:6
Youthclubs1:Defensor
Years1:2008–2009
Caps1:7
Goals1:0
Years2:2009–2013
Caps2:4
Goals2:0
Years3:2010–2011
Clubs3:Recreativo (loan)
Caps3:11
Goals3:0
Years4:2011–2012
Clubs4:Numancia (loan)
Caps4:33
Goals4:0
Years5:2012–2013
Clubs5:Hércules (loan)
Caps5:39
Goals5:1
Years6:2013–2014
Caps6:33
Goals6:0
Years7:2014–2017
Caps7:108
Goals7:4
Years8:2017–2018
Caps8:5
Goals8:0
Years9:2018
Clubs9:Getafe (loan)
Caps9:9
Goals9:0
Years10:2018–2020
Caps10:50
Goals10:4
Years11:2020–
Caps11:161
Goals11:3
Nationalyears1:2009–2011
Nationalcaps1:22
Nationalgoals1:2
Club-Update:6 June 2024

Leandro Daniel Cabrera Sasía (born 17 June 1991) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays for and captains La Liga club RCD Espanyol. Mainly a central defender, he can also play as a left-back.

He spent the vast majority of his career in Spain, mostly in Segunda División. Other than in his own country, he also competed professionally in Italy.

Club career

Atlético Madrid

Born in Montevideo, Cabrera started his career with local Defensor Sporting, playing seven Primera División matches for the first team as they won the 2009 Clausura. In June 2009 he signed with La Liga club Atlético Madrid for 1.5 million, paid to former Uruguay international player Daniel Fonseca who owned his rights (and ceded 50% to Atlético).[3]

In a strange first season, where he even failed to appear for the reserves,[4] Cabrera's debut for the first team only took place on 2 May 2010, featuring as a left-back in a 3–1 away defeat against Sevilla FC. He was also booked in the game.[5] [6]

In the summer of 2010, Cabrera was loaned to Recreativo de Huelva for 2010–11, with the Andalusians in the Segunda División.[7] He joined another second-tier side, CD Numancia, on loan for the next campaign.[8] The following five years – the first two on loan – he continued competing at that level with Hércules CF,[9] Real Madrid Castilla[10] and Real Zaragoza.[11]

Crotone

On 15 July 2017, free agent Cabrera joined FC Crotone on a three-year deal.[12] His debut in the Serie A took place on 20 August, when he featured the full 90 minutes in the 3–0 home loss to A.C. Milan.[13]

Getafe

Cabrera returned to the Spanish top flight on 15 January 2018, being loaned to Getafe CF.[14] On 7 July the move was made permanent,[15] and he rarely missed a match during his spell at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez.[16]

Espanyol

On 20 January 2020, Cabrera signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with RCD Espanyol after his €9 million release clause was paid.[17] In March, he tested positive for COVID-19.[18]

Following the departure of David López in the 2022 off-season, Cabrera was named captain[19] while also agreeing to an extension until 2026.[20] On 28 August, as his team had no more substitutions left (a reserve goalkeeper was on the bench, however), he played a couple of minutes in goal after Benjamin Lecomte was sent off already in injury time, conceding one goal from Karim Benzema in an eventual 3–1 home defeat to Real Madrid.[21]

International career

Cabrera represented Uruguay in two editions of the FIFA U-20 World Cup,[22] reaching the round of 16 in 2009.[23] On 7 January 2022, aged already 30, he was called by the full side for the first time, for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Venezuela.[24] In October, he was named in a 55-man preliminary squad for the finals in Qatar.[25]

Career statistics

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupEuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Defensor2008–09Uruguayan Primera División700040110
Atlético Madrid2009–10La Liga40000040
Recreativo (loan)2010–11Segunda División11010120
Numancia (loan)2011–12Segunda División33010340
Hércules (loan)2012–13Segunda División39110401
Real Madrid B2013–14Segunda División330330
Zaragoza2014–15Segunda División38110391
2015–16Segunda División35210362
2016–17Segunda División38200382
Total1115201135
Crotone2017–18Serie A502070
Getafe2017–18La Liga90000090
2018–19La Liga3224000362
2019–20La Liga1820031213
Total5944031665
Espanyol2019–20La Liga1700000170
2020–21Segunda División3801000390
2021–22La Liga3723000402
2022–23La Liga3204000360
Total124280001322
Career total426121907145213

Honours

Defensor

Clausura 2009

Atlético Madrid

2009–10[26]

Espanyol

2020–21[27]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Leandro Cabrera. Eurosport. 17 April 2020.
  2. Web site: Cabrera. RCD Espanyol. 7 March 2023.
  3. News: El Atlético ficha a Leandro Cabrera. Atlético sign Leandro Cabrera. Diario AS. es. 22 June 2009. 18 March 2010.
  4. News: Cabrera se perderá próximos siete partidos del Atlético por el Mundial sub'20. Cabrera to miss Atlético's next seven matches due to the under'20 World Cup. Diario AS. es. 10 September 2009. 22 April 2022.
  5. Web site: Sevilla flying high after Atletico win. ESPN Soccernet. 2 May 2010. 2 July 2012. dead. https://archive.today/20130102201247/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/275785?cc=5901. 2 January 2013.
  6. Web site: DT de Atlético Madrid conforme con el debut de Leandro Cabrera. Atlético Madrid HC happy with Leandro Cabrera debut. Fútbol Uruguay. es. 2 May 2010. 21 April 2022.
  7. Web site: El Decano se hace con los servicios de Leandro Cabrera. The Dean acquires Leandro Cabrera. Recreativo Huelva. es. 14 August 2010. 15 August 2010. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110715165556/http://www.recreativohuelva.com/pag/noticias_detalle.asp?idnoticias=7238&seccion=Noticias. 15 July 2011.
  8. Web site: Mercado: El Atlético cede a Leandro Cabrera al Numancia. Market: Atlético loan Leandro Cabrera to Numancia. Goal. es. 31 August 2011. 6 September 2011.
  9. News: Cabrera: "Me encantaría ayudar al Atlético el año que viene". Cabrera: "I would love to help Atlético next year". Marca. es. 9 May 2013. 26 November 2017.
  10. News: El Castilla ficha a Leandro Cabrera. Castilla sign Leandro Cabrera. Marca. David. García Medina. Hugo. Cerezo. es. 2 September 2013. 26 November 2017.
  11. Web site: Leandro Cabrera y Carlos Diogo, al Zaragoza. Leandro Cabrera and Carlos Diogo, to Zaragoza. Vavel. Manuel. Olivera Díaz. es. 13 August 2014. 26 November 2017.
  12. News: Leandro Cabrera jugará en el Crotone de la Serie A italiana. Leandro Cabrera will play in Crotone of the Italian Serie A. El Periódico de Aragón. es. 15 July 2017. 26 November 2017.
  13. News: Crotone-Milan 0–3: apre Kessié, poi Cutrone e Suso completano la festa. Crotone-Milan 0–3: Kessié with the opener, then Cutrone and Suso close the party. La Gazzetta dello Sport. Alessandra. Gozzini. it. 20 August 2017. 26 November 2017.
  14. News: Leandro Cabrera refuerza la defensa del Getafe. Leandro Cabrera bolsters defence of Getafe. Mundo Deportivo. es. 15 January 2018. 16 January 2018.
  15. News: Calciomercato Crotone, ufficiale: Cabrera ceduto al Getafe. Transfermarket Crotone, official: Cabrera transferred to Getafe. Corriere dello Sport. it. 7 July 2018. 12 July 2018.
  16. Web site: Leandro Cabrera: "A Benzema habrá que pararlo entre todos". Leandro Cabrera: "We must stop Benzema by working together". Telemadrid. es. 3 January 2020. 25 January 2020.
  17. Web site: Cabrera, segundo fichaje de invierno. Cabrera, second winter signing. RCD Espanyol. es. 20 January 2020. 20 January 2020.
  18. News: Leandro Cabrera, primer futbolista uruguayo con coronavirus. Leandro Cabrera, first Uruguayan footballer with coronavirus. El Observador. es. 17 March 2020. 8 April 2020.
  19. Web site: Leandro Cabrera, el capitán de Espanyol. Leandro Cabrera, the captain of Espanyol. Tenfield. es. 20 September 2022. 30 November 2022.
  20. Web site: Cabrera:"We have to reduce the mistakes". RCD Espanyol. 13 October 2022. 30 November 2022.
  21. Web site: Espanyol 1–3 Real Madrid. BBC Sport. 28 August 2022. 29 August 2022.
  22. Web site: Repaso de los Mundiales sub-20. Under-20 World Cups review. Uruguayan Football Association. es. 24 May 2019. 22 April 2022.
  23. News: Brasil pasa a cuartos con una lección de efectividad. Brazil reach last-eight with lesson in efficiency. El Mundo. es. 7 October 2009. 22 April 2022.
  24. News: Cabrera ve premiado su dulce momento con la llamada de Uruguay. Cabrera sees sweet moment rewarded with Uruguay call-up. Mundo Deportivo. Anna. Cordovilla. es. 7 January 2022. 22 April 2022.
  25. Web site: Selección: Diego Alonso entregó la lista de 55 reservados para el Mundial de Catar. National team: Diego Alonso named 55-man preliminary squad for Qatar World Cup. Fútbol Uruguay. es. 21 October 2022. 21 October 2022.
  26. Web site: Atletico Madrid 2–1 Fulham. BBC Sport. Phil. McNulty. 12 May 2010. 16 December 2019.
  27. News: El Espanyol cae como campeón ante un Alcorcón salvado. Espanyol fall as champions against saved Alcorcón. Sport. es. 30 May 2021. 31 May 2021.