Leo Franco

Leo Franco
Personal information
Full name Leonardo Neoren Franco
Date of birth (1977-05-20) 20 May 1977
Place of birth San Nicolás, Argentina
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Huesca
Number 25
Senior career*
Years Team Apps† (Gls)†
1995–1997 Independiente 2 (0)
1997–1998 Mérida 0 (0)
1998–1999 Mallorca B 23 (0)
1999–2004 Mallorca 148 (0)
2004–2009 Atlético Madrid 153 (0)
2009–2010 Galatasaray 26 (0)
2010–2014 Zaragoza 67 (0)
2014–2015 San Lorenzo 3 (0)
2015– Huesca 24 (0)
National team
1997 Argentina U20 6 (0)
2004–2006 Argentina 4 (0)

* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 1 May 2016.

† Appearances (goals)

Leonardo "Leo" Neoren Franco (born 20 May 1977) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays for Spanish club SD Huesca as a goalkeeper.

After starting out at Independiente in 1995 he went on to spend the vast majority of his career in Spain, playing 328 La Liga games over the course of 14 seasons in representation of Mallorca, Atlético Madrid and Zaragoza.

An Argentine international for two years, Franco represented the nation at the 2006 World Cup.

Club career

Born in San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Buenos Aires, Franco started his career at Club Atlético Independiente, moving at the age of 20 to Spain with CP Mérida where he did not appear in La Liga, barred by Carlos Navarro Montoya and suffering team relegation. In the following year he joined RCD Mallorca, spending his first season with the B-team and again dropping down a level, now in the second division.

Franco would be however promoted to the Balearic Islands side's main squad, going on to establish himself as the starter after replacing compatriot Carlos Roa in the pecking order. In the 2000–01 campaign he appeared in 27 games as Mallorca finished in a best-ever third position, and helped the club win the Copa del Rey two years after.[1]

Franco was signed by Atlético Madrid in 2004, being first-choice from the beginning. Until the end of 2007–08 he saved seven penalties, including two against Sevilla FC on 23 March 2006 (0–1 home loss) and two more at Real Betis on 2 December (1–0 win).[2][3] Precisely during that season, he was challenged by newly signed Christian Abbiati (loaned by A.C. Milan), but regained his starting status in the 2008–09 season, relegating veteran Grégory Coupet to the bench.

On 1 July 2009, aged 32, after not seeing his contract with the Colchoneros renewed, Franco left Atlético – as Coupet[4]– and signed with Galatasaray S.K. in Turkey.[5][6] His first Süper Lig appearance took place on 9 August, in a 3–2 away win against Gaziantepspor.

Franco returned to Spain after only one year, signing with Real Zaragoza for two seasons. He made his official debut on 29 August 2010, keeping a clean sheet at Deportivo de La Coruña in a 0–0 draw.[7]

Franco left the Aragonese side in the 2014 summer, and subsequently moved to San Lorenzo de Almagro. On 24 July 2015, after appearing rarely, he moved to SD Huesca, newly promoted to the second tier.[8]

International career

With the Argentina under-20 team, Franco won the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia.[9] On 6 May 2006, two years after making his debut for the senior side, he was selected by coach José Pekerman – also the manager of the under-20s – to the squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

On 30 June 2006, Franco replaced injured Roberto Abbondanzieri in the quarter-final clash against hosts Germany, failing to save one single penalty shootout attempt.[10]

Statistics

Club

As of 28 December 2013[11]
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Independiente 1995–96 10----10
1996–97 10----10
Total 20000020
Mérida 1997–98 00----00
Total 00000000
Mallorca B 1998–99 230----230
Total 2300000230
Mallorca 1999–00 300----300
2000–01 270----270
2001–02 220----220
2002–03 360----360
2003–04 330--30360
Total 148000301510
Atlético Madrid 2004–05 370----370
2005–06 340----340
2006–07 320----320
2007–08 180----180
2008–09 320--60380
Total 153000601590
Galatasaray 2009–10 2600070330
Total 2600070330
Zaragoza 2010–11 2300000230
2011–12 00000000
2012–13 406000100
2013–14 1900000190
Total 4606000520
Career total 3980601604200

International

Argentina
YearAppsGoals
200410
200520
200610
Total40

References

  1. ↑ "Eto'o pone Mallorca a brindar" [Eto'o has Mallorca toasting] (in Spanish). El País. 29 June 2003. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  2. ↑ Leo Franco detuvo su séptimo penalti con el Atlético en Liga (Leo Franco saved seventh penalty with Atlético in the league); Marca, 11 November 2007 (Spanish)
  3. ↑ Leo Franco mete en Champions al Atlético (Leo Franco puts Atlético in Champions League); El País, 3 December 2006 (Spanish)
  4. ↑ Leo Franco and Gregory Coupet close to Atletico Madrid exits; Goal.com, 22 June 2009
  5. ↑ 'Galatasaray Leo Franco ile sözleşme imzaladı' ('Leo Franco signed a contract with Galatasaray'); Hurriyet, 11 June 2009 (Turkish)
  6. ↑ 'Galatasaray benim için meydan okuma' ('Galatasaray is a challenge for me'); NTV, 25 June 2009 (Turkish)
  7. ↑ Deportivo La Coruña 0–0 Real Zaragoza; ESPN Soccernet, 29 August 2010
  8. ↑ Leo Franco, nuevo fichaje (Leo Franco, new signing); Huesca's official website, 24 July 2015 (Spanish)
  9. ↑ Leo Franco – FIFA competition record
  10. ↑ Germany 1–1 Argentina; BBC Sport, 30 June 2006
  11. ↑ "L. Franco". Soccerway. Retrieved 11 March 2014.

External links

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