Leonardo de Matos Cruz (born 2 April 1986), better known as Léo Matos, is a former Brazilian professional footballer who played as a right back.After his retirement he follows his career as Athletic Director in PAOK
Club career Starting from the academies of Flamengo and having been for a short time in Marseille, Leo Matos did not find his best in this small passage from Europe and fought exclusively in his homeland until 2010, when he moved to Ukraine. In Chornomorets Odesa, he learned to focus in defence and remain faithful to tactics. The Chornomorets coach Roman Hryhorchuk, with whom he worked with, before moved to Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk, was the one who actually helped him to change. "...We watched video every single day, we learned tactics and defense, thinking that in football is not only attack..." has said in an earlier interview.Το προφίλ του Λέο Μάτος που παίρνει ο ΠΑΟΚ; Retrieved 9 May 2016 Although he is a full back, he played most of the Chornomorets Odesa matches as a right midfielder, proving he can cover the whole right ring. In summer of 2014, he signed for Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk changing his position to left full back, a quite successful move. He participated in the UEFA Europa League final, where his team lost from Sevilla FC.Leo Matos; Retrieved 8 June 2016
PAOK
On 8 May 2016, the 30-year-old solved his contract with Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk due to serious economic problems of the club and he joined PAOK. The acquisition of the player is expected to be announced after the end of the Super League play-offs and until then all formalities (medical examinations, duration of contract etc.) with the player will take place.Λέο Μάτος ο 1ος του νέου ΠΑΟΚ; Retrieved 6 May 2016 On 18 August 2016, in his third appearance for PAOK, Leo Matos scored a wonderful goal helping the club to escape with a 3–0 away win against FC Dinamo Tbilisi in the UEFA Europa League playoffs. On 11 December 2016, he scored a second-half brace (62', 81'), helping his team to win 3–0 against Platanias at Toumba Stadium.ΠΑΟΚ σε… Λέο, 3-0 τον Πλατανιά; Retrieved 11 December 2016 On 17 August 2017, he helped PAOK complete a remarkable turnaround and defeat Östersunds FK 3–1 at home scoring a crucial goal in the second half of the 1st leg of the UEFA Europa League play-offs. On 30 September 2017, he scored his first goal for the 2017-18 Super League season in a 1–1 away draw against AEL On 22 October 2017, the club unofficially announced that his contract will be extended till the summer of 2021 with better financial earnings. On 20 December he scored a brace in a 5–1 away Greek Cup win against Trikala On 6 January 2018, he opened the score in a 5–0 home win against Levadiakos., and he repeated a week later in the next matchday in a 3–0 away win against Kerkyra.
On 15 September 2018, he scored his first goal for the 2018–19 Super League season, as he rose highest to head home from a corner in the fifth minute of added time just before the referee blew the half-time whistle, in a 3–1 away win against OFI. On 16 March 2019, he scored as rose to head home Diego Biseswar's right-wing corner with Nikos Giannakopoulos helpless to react in time, sealing a vital 2–1 away win against Panetolikos in his club's rally to win the first championship title since 1985. On 3 April 2019, he scored a brace in the Greek Cup semifinal 1st leg to earn a 2–0 advantage ahead of the second leg against Asteras Tripolis. PAOK were only 1–0 up deep into stoppage time, but after Walter Iglesias received a red card, Matos scored his second goal with a wonderful half-volley which sailed beyond the outstretched grasp of Giorgos Athanasiadis.
On 6 August 2019, in his first official performance for the 2019–20 season, he scored with a powerful header after an assist from Diego Biseswar that emphatically past Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana, in a home game against last season's UEFA Champions League semi-finalists Ajax in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League third qualifying round tie that ended in a 2–2 draw. On 22 September 2019, scored with a header after a corner from Josip Mišić in a 2–2 home draw with Aris.
On 4 January 2020, Matos scored with a low shot following a free-kick, to close the score in an away 4–2 loss against rivals Aris, as PAOK were finally beaten after 51 games in Super League. At the end of a frustrating 2019-20 season, Leo Matos was one step away from leaving PAOK and lately he was looking for a team to continue his career, but it seems that despite the fact that the Brazilian, was out of Abel Ferreira's initial plans for a long time, the situation is reversed with Matos remaining in Toumba and now stopping the search for another team.
Vasco da Gama On 23 October 2020, Leo Matos has agreed a two-year contract with Vasco da Gama and his transfer is expected to be completed immediately, as PAOK informed. The personal problem that Leo Matos has been facing for several months is likely to lead him to Brazil, as the transfer window is open until 9 November. Matos came to PAOK in 2016 from Dnipro and became immediately one of the key players for the club. In four years has 168 appearances with the club in all competitions, scored 26 goals, and had 16 assists. On 2 November 2020 he opened the score in his first appearance with the club in a 1-1 home draw game against Goiás Esporte Clube.
International career There were talks of possible naturalization of him to play for the Ukraine national football team,Шаг навстречу. Луис Адриано и еще 8 иностранцев, рассчитывавших на сборную Украины and eventually succeeded to gain a second citizenship.
Career statistics Club
Club Season League Cup Continental Other Total Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps GoalsFlamengo (loan)2006Série A84———84Tombense2007Série D105———105Paraná (loan)2007Série A60———602008Série B130———130Total 190———190Figueirense (loan)2008Série A70———70Vila Nova (loan)2009Série B83———8320101410———1410Total 2213———2213Chornomorets2009–10Premier League130———1302010–11First League16010——1702011–12Premier League19731——2282012–1328352——3352013–142203010Appearances in UEFA Europa League.0—350Total 9810123100—12013Dnipro2014–15Premier League705010Appearances in UEFA Europa League.Appearances in UEFA Champions League.0—2202015–16191426Appearances in UEFA Europa League.0—293Total 26192160—513PAOK2016–17Super League3165111Appearances in UEFA Europa League.Appearances in UEFA Champions League.1—4782017–18274724Appearances in UEFA Europa League.1—3872018–192737311Appearances in UEFA Europa League.Appearances in UEFA Champions League.0—4562019–20304203Appearances in UEFA Europa League.Appearances in UEFA Champions League.1—3552020–2120001Appearances in UEFA Europa League.0—30Total 11717216303—16826Vasco da Gama2020Série A191001Appearances in Copa Sudamericana.0—2012021Série B29260003Appearances in Taça Guanabara.Appearances in Campeonato Carioca.138320220000002Appearances in Taça Guanabara.Appearances in Campeonato Carioca.020Total 483601051604Career total3555348115735146568
Honours Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk UEFA Europa League: runner-up 2014–15
PAOK Super League Greece: 2018–19 Greek Cup: 2016–17, 2017–18, 2018–19
Brazil U-17 FIFA U-17 World Cup: 2003 Individual Super League Greece Team of the Season: 2016–17 2017–18
References
External links