Pedro León

Pedro León Sánchez Gil (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈpeðɾo leˈon ˈsantʃeθ]; born 24 November 1986), known as León, is a Spanish footballer who plays for SD Eibar as a right winger.

For other uses, see Pedro León (disambiguation).
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Sánchez and the second or maternal family name is Gil.

Pedro León
León in action for Real Madrid
Personal information
Full name Pedro León Sánchez Gil
Date of birth (1986-11-24) 24 November 1986
Place of birth Mula, Spain
Height 1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s) Winger
Club information
Current team
 Eibar
Number 21
Youth career
2000–2002 Muleño
2002–2004 Nueva Vanguardia
2004 Murcia
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2004–2005 Murcia B 18 (4)
2005–2007 Murcia 68 (10)
2007–2008 Levante 24 (3)
2008–2009 Valladolid 33 (3)
2009–2010 Getafe 35 (8)
2010–2013 Real Madrid 6 (0)
2011–2013 → Getafe (loan) 42 (5)
2013–2016 Getafe 93 (11)
2016– Eibar 95 (12)
National team
2007–2009 Spain U21 6 (1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 7 November 2020

After making a name for himself at Valladolid and Getafe, he transferred to Real Madrid in 2010. He left after a sole season troubled by problems with the management, going on to represent Getafe and Eibar also in La Liga and make 322 appearances in the competition (42 goals scored).

A Spanish under-21 international, León represented the nation at the 2009 European Championship.

Club career

Murcia

Born in Mula, Region of Murcia, León began his career playing for local Muleño CF and Nueva Vanguardia's youth teams, eventually moving in early 2004 to Real Murcia to finish his formation.

After a spell with the B-team, he made his official debut with the main squad on 15 January 2005, in a Segunda División 1–5 loss away loss against UE Lleida,[1] going on to play a further six matches during the season and scoring in a 3–1 win at neighbouring Ciudad de Murcia.[2]

The following two seasons, León became an integral player for Murcia, netting seven goals in the 2006–07 campaign, several from free kicks, as the side returned to La Liga after a three-year absence. In January 2007, he was rumoured to be moving to Real Madrid or Chelsea, being speculated that the latter would buy him for £3.4 million.[3] Instead, he joined modest Levante UD in the summer for £2.5 million after rejecting an offer from to renew his contract for €1 million, in a move the club found quite offensive.[4]

During 2007–08, León often underachieved, starting only 11 times from 24 appearances as Levante returned to the second level.[5] He also ended up training alone, due to problems with management and teammates alike.[4][6][7]

Valladolid and Getafe

On 13 September 2008, Real Valladolid bought León for €300,000 after a quick negotiation.[8][9] Soon becoming a first-choice, he provided his first assist for Fabián Canobbio on 15 November in a 1–0 home win against Real Madrid,[10] netting his first for the club a week later in a 3–0 away success over Villarreal CF.[11]

After lengthy negotiations with Getafe CF, with the player appearing very rarely for Valladolid in pre-season, a five-year contract worth around €4 million was finally arranged in August 2009.[12] León scored nine goals in official matches during the season (eight in the league, with nine assists), as the Madrilenians finished sixth and qualified for the UEFA Europa League for the second time in their history.[13]

Real Madrid

On 15 July 2010, Real Madrid confirmed the transfer of León for €10 million.[14][15] The player passed the pertinent medical test and was presented the following day.[16] He made his debut on 4 August in a friendly match with Club América, playing the full match in a 3–2 win;[17] in his second appearance, four days later, he scored against the LA Galaxy as the match ended with the same score.[18]

On 3 November 2010, León scored his first competitive goal for Real Madrid, combining with Karim Benzema – both players had come from the bench during the second half – for a last-minute goal at A.C. Milan for the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, a 2–2 draw that sent the Spaniards through to the knockout stage.[19] During the course of the league season, however, he appeared rarely: after assuming he would start against AJ Auxerre in the Champions League in late September, he was immediately dropped from the list of 18 by coach José Mourinho.[20] Later, he was ridiculed in the press by his own manager when the latter justified his absence.[21] In early February 2011, both he and teammate Fernando Gago were dropped from the squad that would face Sevilla FC in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey, for fighting in training;[22] Gago was however picked for the next match, whereas León was not.

Chelsea renewed their interest in taking León on loan in the winter transfer window,[23] but no move took place – he reportedly blamed Mourinho for blocking the move.[24] In March 2011, after the market had closed, Hércules CF tried to acquire the player on loan following Tote's severe knee injury, but Real Madrid refused again.[25]

Getafe return

At the end of the 2011 summer transfer window, León returned to former club Getafe on a season-long loan.[26] He scored the first goal of his second spell on 1 October, with a spectacular long-range strike at Málaga CF in a 2–3 loss;[27] the move was extended for the following campaign.[28]

Subsequently, León signed for Getafe on a permanent basis. On 6 October 2013, he scored twice in a 3–1 home win over Real Betis, netting his first through a 40-meter free kick.[29]

León was not allowed to be registered for the start of 2014–15, as the club had exceeded the €17 million salary cap.[30] The situation was finally resolved on 24 November, the day of the player's 28th birthday.[31]

Eibar

On 5 July 2016, after Getafe's relegation, León signed a two-year deal with SD Eibar also in the top tier.[32] He scored a career-best ten goals in his first season – only behind Sergi Enrich's 11 in the squad[33]– but missed the vast majority of the following after replapsing from a left knee injury.[34]

International career

León made his debut for the Spain national under-21 team on 31 January 2007. On 6 February, Iñaki Sáez played him again in a friendly with England, in which he was replaced by Juan Mata in a 2–2 away draw.[35] He also featured in the 2009 European Championship qualifier against Georgia, coming on for Alejandro Alfaro in the second half a 1–0 away win.[36]

Picked in the 23-man squad for the final stages in Sweden, León scored in the final game against Finland, but the nation did not progress from the group stage.[37]

Personal life

León's older brother, Luis León Sánchez, is a road bicycle racer. His other brother Antonio also played football, but the indoor variety.[38][13]

León was not his surname, but he carried it as a middle name in memory of his grandfather and eldest brother, who both died in 2006 (the latter in a motorbike accident), and tended to just go by the name León rather than León Sánchez (as his two brothers), also celebrating his goals by pointing to the sky.[38]

Club statistics
As of 23 February 2019[39]
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
AppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssists
Murcia 2004–05 71000—71
2005–06 30220—322
2006–07 31710—327
Total 681030—7110
Levante 2007–08 243230—2732
Total 243230—2732
Valladolid 2008–09 3338221—3559
Total 3338221—3559
Getafe 2009–10 3589712—42911
Total 3589712—42911
Real Madrid 2010–11 6004114101421
Total 6004114101421
Getafe 2011–12 1624000—1624
2012–13 28373000003137
2013–14 3775300---4075
2014–15 2525403---2928
2015–16 3024210---3234
Total 1361625913---1481728
Eibar 2016–17 37106210—39112
2017–18 1203000—1203
2018–19 100000—100
Total 50109621---52115
Career totals 352505337784103895756

Honours

Club

Real Madrid

References
  1. "Golea el Lleida y aleja los fantasmas" [Lleida rout and chase ghosts away] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 16 January 2005. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  2. "El derbi murciano, para los de Casuco" [Murcian derby, to Casuco's boys] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 9 May 2005. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  3. "Real Madrid's corner: The misfortune of Pedro León". The Hard Tackle. 11 March 2011. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  4. "Pedro León tiene un acuerdo de cinco años con el Levante" [Pedro León has a five-year agreement with Levante] (in Spanish). Diario AS. 14 July 2007. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  5. Real edge closer to title after 3–0 win Archived 9 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Dalje, 27 April 2008
  6. "Pedro León: "Le deseo lo mejor al Murcia desde el domingo"" [Pedro León: "I wish nothing but the best to Murcia from Sunday onwards"] (in Spanish). Marca. 24 January 2008. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  7. "Los desencuentros de Pedro León" [Pedro León's run-ins] (in Spanish). La Verdad. 29 September 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2016.
  8. "Quiero ser como Pedro León" [Bend it like Pedro León] (in Spanish). Mundo Deportivo. 30 March 2009. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  9. "Los nombres de la quiniela" [Names in the lottery] (in Spanish). El Norte de Castilla. 5 January 2011. Retrieved 19 December 2017.
  10. Valladolid 1–0 Real Madrid; ESPN Soccernet, 15 November 2008
  11. Villarreal 0–3 Valladolid; ESPN Soccernet, 22 November 2008
  12. El Getafe cierra el fichaje de Pedro León (Getafe complete Pedro León's signing); Marca, 25 August 2009 (in Spanish)
  13. "Getafe's Pedro León on the way back to being Pedro León again". The Guardian. 21 October 2013. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  14. Official announcement Archived 4 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine; Real Madrid CF, 15 July 2010
  15. Pedro León: "Estoy muy emocionado" (Pedro León: "I am very excited"); Diario AS, 15 July 2010 (in Spanish)
  16. Pedro León presentation Archived 19 July 2010 at the Wayback Machine; Real Madrid CF, 16 July 2010
  17. "Ronaldo gives Mourinho debut win with Real". ESPN Soccernet. 5 August 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2010.
  18. The Whites come back to win in Rose Bowl Archived 15 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine; Real Madrid CF, 8 August 2010
  19. Last-ditch León takes Madrid through in Milan Archived 7 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine; UEFA, 3 November 2010
  20. Jose Mourinho dropped Pedro Leon for getting too cocky Archived 6 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine; Total Football Madness, 30 September 2010
  21. Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho: Pedro Leon is no Zinedine Zidane Archived 15 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine; NBC Sports, 27 September 2010
  22. Real Madrid duo Pedro Leon and Fernando Gago involved in training ground altercation; Goal, 2 February 2011
  23. Chelsea send proposal to Real Madrid for Pedro Leon; Inside Futbol, 29 January 2011
  24. "Pedro Leon: Mourinho blocked my move to Chelsea". Daily Mirror. 6 October 2011. Retrieved 3 September 2014.
  25. "El Real Madrid dice "no" al Hércules por Pedro León" [Real Madrid say "no" to Hércules for Pedro León] (in Spanish). Marca. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 16 September 2014.
  26. Official announcement Archived 15 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine; Real Madrid CF, 31 August 2011
  27. Malaga hit back to sink Getafe; ESPN Soccernet, 1 October 2011
  28. Getafe 'ficha' a Pedro León por un año más a coste cero (Getafe 'sign' Pedro León for another year for nothing); Goal, 28 June 2012 (in Spanish)
  29. "Getafe keep on climbing". ESPN FC. 6 October 2013. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
  30. "Pedro León, sin ficha por el límite salarial" [Pedro León, unregistered due to salary cap] (in Spanish). La Verdad. 3 September 2014. Retrieved 8 November 2014.
  31. "El mejor regalo de cumpleaños" [The best birthday present] (in Spanish). Marca. 24 November 2014. Retrieved 24 November 2014.
  32. "SD Eibar ficha a Pedro León Sánchez Gil por dos temporadas" [SD Eibar sign Pedro León Sánchez Gil for two seasons] (in Spanish). SD Eibar. 5 July 2016. Retrieved 5 July 2016.
  33. "Enrich, Pedro León y Kike García, el 50% de los goles del Eibar" [Enrich, Pedro León and Kike García, 50% of Eibar's goals] (in Spanish). El Desmarque. 19 April 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  34. "Pedro León recae de su lesión y volverá a pasar por el quirófano" [Pedro León relapses from injury and will visit operating room again] (in Spanish). Marca. 15 November 2017. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  35. England U21 2–2 Spain U21; BBC Sport, 6 February 2007
  36. "Bojan ejerció como revulsivo en su debut" [Bojan was the spark in his debut] (in Spanish). Sport. 6 June 2007. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  37. Spain beat Finland but fail to qualify; Goal, 22 June 2009
  38. "El fútbol está sobrevalorado, y el ciclismo, machacado" ("Football is overrated, and cycling, through the dirt"); El País, 5 January 2009 (in Spanish)
  39. "Pedro León". Soccerway. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
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