Leonardo de Miranda Pires

Leonardo de Miranda Pires commonly known as Leo Miranda (born 19 April 1984) is a Brazilian footballer who plays for Al-Oruba SC in Oman Professional League.

Personal life

On 24 June 2004, Leonardo got married to Karina Pires de Miranda, a professional dentist in Brazil. On 29 December 2007, he received his Portuguese passport and hence he shares dual-citizenship between Brazil and Portugal.

Club career

Leonardo de Miranda Pires in action for Brazilian club Quissamã Futebol Clube against Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas in the 2013 Campeonato Carioca

Youth career

Born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Leonardo began his career as a football player when he was just 6 years old with Brazilian top club CR Vasco da Gama where he played till he became a 23-year old youngster. During his six-year spell in the youth academies and junior level teams of Vasco da Gama, he shared the dressing room with some of the Brazilian legends like Edmundo Alves de Souza Neto, Osmar Donizete Cândido and Romário and the Serbian legend who spent about 13 years of his career with various Brazilian clubs, Dejan Petković.

Brazil

Leonardo began his professional career in Brazil with his parent club Vasco da Gama in 2004. In his four-year spell at the Rio de Janeiro-based club, he helped the club to win the 2004 Taça Rio, achieve the runners-up place in the 2004 Campeonato Carioca and achieve the runners-up place in the 2006 Copa do Brasil.

In 2008, he moved to Porto Alegre where he signed a contract with Esporte Clube São José. He made his Campeonato Gaúcho debut on 7 February 2009 in a 1-1 draw against Grêmio Esportivo Brasil. He made 3 appearances in the 2009 Campeonato Gaúcho and about 30 appearances in the 2008 Copa Rio do Sul.

Cyprus

He first moved out of Brazil in 2010 to Europe and more accurately to Cyprus where he signed a one-year contract with Cypriot Second Division club PAEEK. He made 12 appearances and scored 4 goals in the 2010–11 Cypriot Second Division League.

Oman

He again made a far away move from Brazil and this time to the Middle East and more accurately to Oman where he signed a one-year contract with Oman First Division League club Muscat Club. He made 25 appearances and scored 14 goals in the 2011–12 Oman First Division League and hence becoming the top-scorer of the Muscat-based club in the 2011-12 season.

Back to Brazil

In 2012, he came back to Brazil and signed a one-year contract with Itajaí-based Clube Náutico Marcílio Dias. He made 8 appearances in the 2012 Copa Santa Catarina.

In 2013, he moved to Quissamã and signed a six-month contract with Quissamã Futebol Clube. He made his Campeonato Carioca debut on 9 February 2013 in a 1-0 win over Bangu Atlético Clube. He made 9 appearances in the 2013 Campeonato Carioca which included a 4-0 loss and a 3-1 loss against Brazilian top clubs Botafogo de Futebol e Regatas and his parent club CR Vasco da Gama respectively. Even though his club Quissamã lost both the ties, Leonardo got to prove his ability against two big names, Botafogo's Dutch midfielder Clarence Seedorf and Vasco da Gama's Juninho Pernambucano.

Back to Oman

On 8 September 2014, he came back to Oman and on the next day he signed a one-year contract with Oman Professional League club Al-Oruba SC.

Club career statistics

Club

Season

Division

League

Cup

Continental

Apps

Goals

Apps

Goals

Apps

Goals

Apps

Goals

São José

2009

Campeonato Gaúcho

3

0

0

0

0

Total

3

0

0

0

0

PAEEK

2010–11

Cypriot Second Division

12

4

0

0

0

Total

12

4

0

0

0

Muscat

2011–12

Oman First Division League

25

14

0

0

0

Total

25

14

0

0

0

Marcílio Dias

2012

Copa Santa Catarina

0

0

8

0

0

Total

0

0

8

0

0

Quissamã

2013

Campeonato Carioca

9

0

0

0

0

Total

9

0

0

0

0

Career total

39

18

8

0

0

Honours

Club

  • With Vasco da Gama
    • Copa do Brasil (0): Runner-up 2006
    • Campeonato Carioca (0): Runner-up 2004
    • Taça Rio (1): Winner 2004
  • With Marcílio Dias
    • Copa Santa Catarina (0): Runner-up 2012