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Leo Franco

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"Leonardo Franco" redirects here. For the Mexican footballer, see Leonardo Franco (Mexican footballer).

Leo Franco
Franco in 2009
Personal information
Full name Leonardo Neoren Franco[1]
Date of birth (1977-05-20) 20 May 1977 (age 48)[1]
Place of birth San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Argentina
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1995–1997 Independiente 2 (0)
1997–1998 Mérida 0 (0)
1998–1999 Mallorca B 23 (0)
1999–2004 Mallorca 148 (0)
2004–2009 Atlético Madrid 153 (0)
2009–2010 Galatasaray 26 (0)
2010–2014 Zaragoza 67 (0)
2014–2015 San Lorenzo 3 (0)
2015–2016 Huesca 28 (0)
Total 450 (0)
International career
1997 Argentina U20 6 (0)
2004–2006 Argentina 4 (0)
Managerial career
2018 Huesca
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Leonardo "Leo" Neoren Franco (born 20 May 1977) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

After starting out at Independiente in 1995, he went on to spend the vast majority of his career in Spain, playing 328 La Liga matches over 14 seasons in representation of Mallorca, Atlético Madrid and Zaragoza.

An Argentine international for two years, Franco appeared for the nation at the 2006 World Cup.

Club career

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Born in San Nicolás de los Arroyos, Buenos Aires Province, Franco started his career at Club Atlético Independiente, moving at the age of 20 to Spain with CP Mérida[2] where he did not appear in La Liga, barred by Carlos Navarro Montoya and suffering relegation.[3] In the following year he joined RCD Mallorca, spending his first season with their reserves and again dropping down a tier, now in the Segunda División.[4]

Franco would be however promoted to the Balearic Islands club's first team, going on to establish himself as the starter after replacing compatriot Carlos Roa in the pecking order.[5] In the 2000–01 campaign he appeared in 27 matches as Mallorca finished in a best-ever third position to qualify for the UEFA Champions League,[6][7] and helped to win the Copa del Rey in 2003.[8]

Franco was acquired by Atlético Madrid in June 2004,[9] being first choice from the beginning. Until the end of 2007–08 he saved seven penalties, including two against Sevilla FC on 23 March 2006 (0–1 home loss) and two more at Real Betis on 2 December (1–0 win).[10][11] Precisely during that season, he was challenged by newly signed Christian Abbiati (loaned by AC Milan), but regained his starting status in 2008–09, relegating veteran Grégory Coupet to the bench.[12]

On 1 July 2009, aged 32, after not seeing his contract renewed, Franco left the Vicente Calderón Stadium – as Coupet[13]– and signed with Galatasaray S.K. from Turkey.[14][15] His first Süper Lig appearance took place on 9 August, in a 3–2 away victory over Gaziantepspor.[16]

Franco returned to Spain one year later, joining Real Zaragoza on a two-year deal.[17] He made his competitive debut on 29 August 2010, in a 0–0 draw at Deportivo de La Coruña.[18]

Franco left Aragon in the summer of 2014, and subsequently moved to San Lorenzo de Almagro.[19] On 24 July 2015 he moved to SD Huesca, newly promoted to the Spanish second tier.[20]

On 19 August 2016, Franco announced his retirement at the age of 39 and was immediately named director of external relations at his last club.[21] On 29 May 2018, he replaced the departing Rubi as first-team manager in view of their first-ever season in the top flight,[22] being dismissed on 9 October due to poor results.[23]

International career

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With the Argentina under-20 team, Franco won the 1997 FIFA World Youth Championship in Malaysia.[24] On 6 May 2006, two years after making his debut for the senior side,[25] he was selected by coach José Pekerman – also the manager of the under-20s – to the squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.[26]

On 30 June 2006, Franco replaced the injured Roberto Abbondanzieri in the quarter-final tie against hosts Germany, failing to save one single penalty shootout attempt following a 1–1 draw.[27]

Career statistics

[edit]

Club

[edit]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition[28][29]
Club Season League Cup Europe Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Independiente 1995–96 Argentine Primera División 1 0 – – 1 0
1996–97 1 0 – – 1 0
Total 2 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
Mérida 1997–98 La Liga 0 0 – – 0 0
Mallorca B 1998–99 Segunda División 23 0 – – 23 0
Mallorca 1999–00 La Liga 30 0 2 0 7 0 39 0
2000–01 27 0 5 0 – 32 0
2001–02 22 0 1 0 7 0 30 0
2002–03 36 0 6 0 – 42 0
2003–04 33 0 2 0 3 0 38 0
Total 148 0 16 0 17 0 181 0
Atlético Madrid 2004–05 La Liga 37 0 7 0 5 0 49 0
2005–06 34 0 2 0 – 36 0
2006–07 32 0 2 0 – 34 0
2007–08 18 0 – 3 0 21 0
2008–09 32 0 1 0 8 0 41 0
Total 153 0 12 0 16 0 181 0
Galatasaray 2009–10 Süper Lig 26 0 0 0 11 0 37 0
Zaragoza 2010–11 La Liga 23 0 0 0 0 0 23 0
2011–12 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2012–13 4 0 6 0 0 0 10 0
2013–14 Segunda División 40 0 0 0 0 0 19 0
Total 67 0 6 0 0 0 73 0
San Lorenzo 2014 Argentine Primera División 0 0 1 0 – 1 0
2015 3 0 1 0 – 4 0
Total 3 0 2 0 0 0 5 0
Huesca 2015–16 Segunda División 28 0 1 0 – 29 0
Career total 450 0 37 0 44 0 531 0

International

[edit]
Appearances and goals by national team and year[30]
National team Year Apps Goals
Argentina 2004 1 0
2005 2 0
2006 1 0
Total 4 0

Managerial statistics

[edit]
Managerial record by team and tenure[31]
Team Nat From To Record Ref
G W D L GF GA GD Win %
Huesca Spain 3 June 2018 9 October 2018 8 1 2 5 7 18 −11 012.50
Total 8 1 2 5 7 18 −11 012.50 —

Honours

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Mallorca

Argentina

References

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  1. ^ a b c "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2014: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. 15 December 2014. p. 6. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 July 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Leo Franco ficha por el Mérida" [Leo Franco signs for Mérida]. El País (in Spanish). 1 August 1997. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  3. ^ Ruipérez, Carles (2 September 2018). "Leo Franco, entrenador con pócima" [Leo Franco, manager with a potion]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  4. ^ "El filial, de la mano de Nando Pons, regresa a Segunda B" [The reserves, by the hand of Nando Pons, return to Segunda B]. Última Hora (in Spanish). 21 June 1999. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  5. ^ Williamson, Dan (26 June 2018). "Carlos Roa: the eccentric goalkeeper who beat malaria, cancer and Y2K". These Football Times. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  6. ^ "Una plantilla con cuatro campeones de Europa y 268 partidos en 'Champions'" [A squad with four European champions and 268 games in the Champions League]. Super Deporte (in Spanish). 9 August 2008. Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  7. ^ Adrover, Sebastià (7 March 2016). "Luis Aragonés: el mejor" [Luis Aragonés: the best]. Diario de Mallorca (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  8. ^ a b Miguélez, José (29 June 2003). "Eto'o pone Mallorca a brindar" [Eto'o has Mallorca toasting]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  9. ^ "Leo Franco ficha por el Atlético" [Leo Franco signs for Atlético] (in Spanish). UEFA. 15 June 2004. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  10. ^ "Leo Franco mete en Champions al Atlético" [Leo Franco puts Atlético in Champions]. El País (in Spanish). 3 December 2006. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  11. ^ "Leo Franco detuvo su séptimo penalti con el Atlético en Liga" [Leo Franco saved his seventh penalty with Atlético in League]. Marca (in Spanish). 11 November 2007. Retrieved 2 September 2010.
  12. ^ "Coupet: "Mi temporada es un fracaso personal"" [Coupet: "My season is a personal failure"]. Marca (in Spanish). 12 May 2009. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  13. ^ Walker-Roberts, James (22 June 2009). "Leo Franco and Gregory Coupet close to Atletico Madrid exits". Goal. Retrieved 27 June 2009.
  14. ^ "'Galatasaray Leo Franco ile sözleşme imzaladı'" ['Leo Franco signed a contract with Galatasaray']. Hürriyet (in Turkish). 11 June 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2009.
  15. ^ "'Galatasaray benim için meydan okuma'" ['Galatasaray is a challenge for me'] (in Turkish). NTV. 25 June 2009. Retrieved 27 June 2009.
  16. ^ "Gaziantepspor 2–3 Galatasaray" (in Turkish). Turkish Football Federation. 9 August 2009. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  17. ^ "El Zaragoza anuncia el fichaje de Leo Franco" [Zaragoza announce signing of Leo Franco]. Diario AS (in Spanish). 17 July 2010. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  18. ^ "Deportivo La Coruña 0–0 Real Zaragoza". ESPN Soccernet. 29 August 2010. Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 25 April 2011.
  19. ^ "El portero Leo Franco jugará en el San Lorenzo argentino" [Goalkeeper Leo Franco will play in Argentina's San Lorenzo]. Heraldo de Aragón (in Spanish). 23 July 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  20. ^ "Leo Franco, nuevo fichaje" [Leo Franco, new signing] (in Spanish). SD Huesca. 24 July 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 4 August 2015.
  21. ^ "Leo Franco se incorpora a la SD Huesca como Director de Relaciones Externas" [Leo Franco joins SD Huesca as Director of External Relations] (in Spanish). SD Huesca. 19 August 2016. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  22. ^ "Leo Franco, nuevo entrenador de la SD Huesca" [Leo Franco, new manager of SD Huesca] (in Spanish). SD Huesca. 29 May 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
  23. ^ Serrano, Cristian (9 October 2018). "Leo Franco destituido como entrenador del Huesca" [Leo Franco dismissed as manager of Huesca]. Marca (in Spanish). Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  24. ^ a b Dana, Fabio (5 July 2022). "Los Pekerman Boys y un título inolvidable en el Mundial de Malasia" [The Pekerman Boys and an unforgettable title in the Malaysia World Cup] (in Spanish). ESPN. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  25. ^ Fernández, Manuel (9 November 2023). "¿Qué futbolistas han debutado con Argentina siendo jugadores del RCD Mallorca?" [What footballers made their debut with Argentina as players of RCD Mallorca?]. Diario de Mallorca (in Spanish). Retrieved 1 June 2025.
  26. ^ "Zanetti overlooked by Argentina". BBC Sport. 6 May 2006. Retrieved 31 May 2025.
  27. ^ "Germany 1–1 Argentina". BBC Sport. 30 June 2006. Retrieved 1 October 2013.
  28. ^ Leo Franco at WorldFootball.net
  29. ^ Leo Franco at Soccerway
  30. ^ Leo Franco at National-Football-Teams.com
  31. ^ Leo Franco manager profile at BDFutbol
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