Lucas Leiva
Birthdate: 9 January 1987
Birthplace: Dourados, Brazil
Other clubs: Gremio (2004-07)
Bought from: Gremio
Signed for LFC: £5m, 11.05.2007
International debut: 22.08.2007 vs. Algeria
International caps: 20/0 - 14.11.2011
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Liverpool debut: 28.08.2007
Last appearance: 19.05.2013
Debut goal: 26.01.2008
Last goal: 16.09.2010
Win ratio: 55.14% W: 118 D: 47 L: 49
LFC league games/goals: 149 / 1
Total LFC games/goals: 214 / 6
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Player profile
A hard-working box-to-box player who was captain of the Brazilian u-20 team. In October 2005 Lucas made his debut for Gremio in the Brazilian second division. Gremio were promoted and in Lucas' first season in the top-flight in 2006 when Gremio finished third he became the youngest-ever player to receive Placar magazine's Bola de Ouro (Golden Ball), given to the best player in the Brazilian league, an honour previously won by the likes of Zico, Falcao, Careca, Romario, Kaka and Tevez. Just before joining Liverpool, Lucas went all the way to the two-legged final in Copa Libertadores where Boca Juniors outplayed the Brazilian team, winning 5-0 on aggregate. BBC's expert on Sout American football, Tim Vickery, was optimistic about Lucas' chances of making a name for himself at Liverpool. "These moves are always a gamble, but I think this is a good one. He's an exciting player of a type that Brazilian football hasn't produced too many of recently. Of late their central midfielders have tended to be 'holders' who sit and allow the full-backs to push forward. Lucas is different. He's a big, blonde figure whose power and physical strength comes with attacking ability. He can pass well and loves to rumble forward. He gets on the scoresheet both with blistering shots from range and from bursting beyond the strikers. I don't have the same fears for him as I did with Paletta. He's had two full seasons behind him - one helping Gremio win promotion from the second division, and then last year's success when he was chosen as the player of the championship. In a perfect world you might want him to stay another year before moving on, but (a) Gremio need to sell to balance the books and (b) with Liverpool's strength in depth in central midfield it looks as if his first campaign will be a bedding in season."
Lucas took part in 32 competitive matches during his first season in English football. His highlight of the season came when he thundered an equalising goal into the top corner after non-League Havant & Waterlooville had taken a shock early lead in the FA Cup at Anfield in January 2008. Lucas was 'capped' by his country for the first time in August 2007 and played for Brazil's Olympic team in Beijing 2008 that finished third. He was one of two Brazil players who were sent off in the semi-final defeat to Argentina. Alonso and Mascherano continued to be the preferred choice in midfield by Rafa in the 2008/09 season and Lucas only twice made the starting line-up. Lucas showed his inexperience when he was sent off after 75 minutes for a second booking when he brought down Joleon Lescott against Everton at Goodison Park in a FA Cup fourth round replay. Following Alonso's move to Real Lucas featured more than ever before and only Reina (52), Carragher and Kuyt (53) played in more first-team matches than the previously much-maligned Lucas, in 2009/10. Scapegoat for many a poor team performance in the past, the young Brazilian, who turned 23 during the season, won over huge sections of the fanbase with assured displays that made him probably the most improved player of any of the first-team squad during the season. He was picked from the start for the first six matches of the season, something he had never achieved before, and continued to be a regular throughout the campaign. Lucas hardly put a foot wrong and was the fourth most prolific tackler in the Premier League.
At the end of March 2011 the Brazilian signed a new long-term deal that tied him to LFC until 2015. His future at the club didn't look bright a couple of years back, even shamefully booed by his own fans. He admitted he needed some time to settle in: “Things were not looking good and some supporters were obviously not happy. The move to Liverpool represented a change of country, language and there was also the not so small detail that I was only 20 and arriving at a traditional club in one of the most demanding leagues in the world. Also, few people seemed to remember Liverpool had a group of players that had made two of the last three Champions League finals. Maybe the supporters thought a Brazilian midfielder would do magic. In Gremio I had carte blanche to go forward and participate more in the attacking plays. But things had to change when I arrived in Liverpool, where I am used much more as a holding midfielder. That transition took time and made settling in even more challenging."
Javier Mascherano left early in the 2010/11 season and fans wondered if Lucas was ready to take over his mantle. Few could argue Lucas has developed into an equally strong player as the Argentinian and crucially more composed on the field. Lucas was voted Standard Chartered's Player of the Season in 2010/11 as he became one of Liverpool's key players, having made steady progress in the sometimes unforgiving Anfield spotlight. Not renowned as a goalscorer, he got Liverpool's campaign in the group stage of the Europa League off to a thrilling start. Coming on as a substitute he took only two minutes to make his mark on an autumnal evening at Anfield by driving a long-range shot past the Steaua Bucharest goalkeeper to reclaim the lead for his team and help to ensure three vital points. Lucas' 2011/12 season came to a shuddering halt when he was stretchered off the Stamford Bridge pitch during Liverpool's League Cup quarter-final with Chelsea at the end of November having damaged the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. His absence was more keenly felt than anyone's else's and Liverpool's midfield fell apart without him in the second half of the campaign when the club lost 11 out of 19 League games! Lucas returned in August, but suffered another setback when he injured his thigh in the warm-up when champions Manchester City visited Anfield on 26 August 2012. Lucas said he would shake the injury off, but he only lasted five minutes before being replaced by Jonjo Shelvey. He was sidelined until 1 December and has been slowly getting his match fitness to normal levels following such a lengthy absence.