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

Leandro Cabrera
Cabrera with Espanyol in 2022
Personal information
Full name Leandro Daniel Cabrera Sasía
Date of birth (1991-06-17) 17 June 1991 (age 33)[1]
Place of birth Montevideo, Uruguay[1]
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
Espanyol
Number 6
Youth career
Defensor
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008–2009 Defensor 7 (0)
2009–2013 Atlético Madrid 4 (0)
2010–2011Recreativo (loan) 11 (0)
2011–2012Numancia (loan) 33 (0)
2012–2013Hércules (loan) 39 (1)
2013–2014 Real Madrid B 33 (0)
2014–2017 Zaragoza 108 (4)
2017–2018 Crotone 5 (0)
2018Getafe (loan) 9 (0)
2018–2020 Getafe 50 (4)
2020– Espanyol 161 (3)
International career
2009–2011 Uruguay U20 22 (2)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 6 June 2024

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

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Atlético Madrid

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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As of match played 28 May 2023[26]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup[a] Europe Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Defensor 2008–09 Uruguayan Primera División 7 0 0 0 4[b] 0 11 0
Atlético Madrid 2009–10 La Liga 4 0 0 0 0 0 4 0
Recreativo (loan) 2010–11 Segunda División 11 0 1 0 12 0
Numancia (loan) 2011–12 Segunda División 33 0 1 0 34 0
Hércules (loan) 2012–13 Segunda División 39 1 1 0 40 1
Real Madrid B 2013–14 Segunda División 33 0 33 0
Zaragoza 2014–15 Segunda División 38 1 1 0 39 1
2015–16 Segunda División 35 2 1 0 36 2
2016–17 Segunda División 38 2 0 0 38 2
Total 111 5 2 0 113 5
Crotone 2017–18 Serie A 5 0 2 0 7 0
Getafe 2017–18 La Liga 9 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
2018–19 La Liga 32 2 4 0 0 0 36 2
2019–20 La Liga 18 2 0 0 3[c] 1 21 3
Total 59 4 4 0 3 1 66 5
Espanyol 2019–20 La Liga 17 0 0 0 0 0 17 0
2020–21 Segunda División 38 0 1 0 0 0 39 0
2021–22 La Liga 37 2 3 0 0 0 40 2
2022–23 La Liga 32 0 4 0 0 0 36 0
Total 124 2 8 0 0 0 132 2
Career total 426 12 19 0 7 1 452 13
  1. ^ Includes Copa del Rey and Coppa Italia
  2. ^ Appearances in Copa Libertadores
  3. ^ Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

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Defensor

Atlético Madrid

Espanyol

References

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  1. ^ a b "Leandro Cabrera". Eurosport. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  2. ^ "Cabrera". RCD Espanyol. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  3. ^ "El Atlético ficha a Leandro Cabrera" [Atlético sign Leandro Cabrera]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 22 June 2009. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  4. ^ "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 (in Spanish). 10 September 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Sevilla flying high after Atletico win". ESPN Soccernet. 2 May 2010. Archived from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  6. ^ "DT de Atlético Madrid conforme con el debut de Leandro Cabrera" [Atlético Madrid HC happy with Leandro Cabrera debut] (in Spanish). Fútbol Uruguay. 2 May 2010. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  7. ^ "El Decano se hace con los servicios de Leandro Cabrera" [The Dean acquires Leandro Cabrera] (in Spanish). Recreativo Huelva. 14 August 2010. Archived from the original on 15 July 2011. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  8. ^ "Mercado: El Atlético cede a Leandro Cabrera al Numancia" [Market: Atlético loan Leandro Cabrera to Numancia] (in Spanish). Goal. 31 August 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2011.
  9. ^ "Cabrera: "Me encantaría ayudar al Atlético el año que viene"" [Cabrera: "I would love to help Atlético next year"]. Marca (in Spanish). 9 May 2013. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  10. ^ García Medina, David; Cerezo, Hugo (2 September 2013). "El Castilla ficha a Leandro Cabrera" [Castilla sign Leandro Cabrera]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  11. ^ Olivera Díaz, Manuel (13 August 2014). "Leandro Cabrera y Carlos Diogo, al Zaragoza" [Leandro Cabrera and Carlos Diogo, to Zaragoza] (in Spanish). Vavel. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  12. ^ "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 (in Spanish). 15 July 2017. Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  13. ^ Gozzini, Alessandra (20 August 2017). "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 (in Italian). Retrieved 26 November 2017.
  14. ^ "Leandro Cabrera refuerza la defensa del Getafe" [Leandro Cabrera bolsters defence of Getafe]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 15 January 2018. Retrieved 16 January 2018.
  15. ^ "Calciomercato Crotone, ufficiale: Cabrera ceduto al Getafe" [Transfermarket Crotone, official: Cabrera transferred to Getafe]. Corriere dello Sport (in Italian). 7 July 2018. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
  16. ^ "Leandro Cabrera: "A Benzema habrá que pararlo entre todos"" [Leandro Cabrera: "We must stop Benzema by working together"] (in Spanish). Telemadrid. 3 January 2020. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
  17. ^ "Cabrera, segundo fichaje de invierno" [Cabrera, second winter signing] (in Spanish). RCD Espanyol. 20 January 2020. Retrieved 20 January 2020.
  18. ^ "Leandro Cabrera, primer futbolista uruguayo con coronavirus" [Leandro Cabrera, first Uruguayan footballer with coronavirus]. El Observador (in Spanish). 17 March 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
  19. ^ "Leandro Cabrera, el capitán de Espanyol" [Leandro Cabrera, the captain of Espanyol] (in Spanish). Tenfield. 20 September 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  20. ^ "Cabrera:"We have to reduce the mistakes"". RCD Espanyol. 13 October 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  21. ^ "Espanyol 1–3 Real Madrid". BBC Sport. 28 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
  22. ^ "Repaso de los Mundiales sub-20" [Under-20 World Cups review] (in Spanish). Uruguayan Football Association. 24 May 2019. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  23. ^ "Brasil pasa a cuartos con una lección de efectividad" [Brazil reach last-eight with lesson in efficiency]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 7 October 2009. Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  24. ^ Cordovilla, Anna (7 January 2022). "Cabrera ve premiado su dulce momento con la llamada de Uruguay" [Cabrera sees sweet moment rewarded with Uruguay call-up]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 22 April 2022.
  25. ^ "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] (in Spanish). Fútbol Uruguay. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 21 October 2022.
  26. ^ Leandro Cabrera at Soccerway
  27. ^ McNulty, Phil (12 May 2010). "Atletico Madrid 2–1 Fulham". BBC Sport. Retrieved 16 December 2019.
  28. ^ "El Espanyol cae como campeón ante un Alcorcón salvado" [Espanyol fall as champions against saved Alcorcón]. Sport (in Spanish). 30 May 2021. Retrieved 31 May 2021.
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