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Leandro SamaroniFormer Brazilian footballer, played as a central defender and defensive midfielder
Date of Birth: 26.06.1971
Country:  Brazil |
Content:
Biography of Leandro Samaroni
Leandro Samaroni, a former Brazilian football player, played as a central defender and defensive midfielder. After retiring from his playing career, he worked as a coach and football agent. Samaroni was born in Ribera, a city in the state of Sao Paulo. When Leandro was very young, his family moved to Piracicaba, where he spent his childhood.
Early Career
Samaroni began his career at XV Novembro club in Piracicaba in 1987. In 1993, he moved to Ponte Preta, and then played for smaller Brazilian teams such as Bragantino, Novorizontino, and Ituano. During his time at Ituano, he received $60 bonuses for victories, and his wages were often delayed. He also played for one of the top football clubs in Brazil, Gremio, with whom Samaroni became the champion of Rio Grande do Sul state in 1995. In the summer of 1996, Samaroni was loaned to Moscow club CSKA, becoming the first foreign legionnaire to play for the team. He played 13 matches and scored 2 goals. After that, Samaroni returned to Brazil and spent half a season with Vila Nova, where he finished third in the Goias state championship, losing in the tournament semifinals to Goias.
Time in Russia
In July 1997, Samaroni returned to Russia, joining Torpedo Moscow, which bought his transfer. Samaroni was invited to Torpedo by his former coach at CSKA, Alexander Tarkhanov, who was a fan of Brazilian football. Initially, Torpedo wanted to loan Samaroni, fearing that he would not be able to perform well in the new team. However, Vila Nova insisted on selling the player, which eventually happened. Samaroni spent two seasons with Torpedo, playing 31 matches and scoring 2 goals. In the summer of 1998, he joined the Russian champion club Spartak Moscow but struggled to secure a place in the starting lineup, playing only 14 matches. After leaving Spartak, Samaroni moved to Arsenal Tula, which played in the first division of the Russian championship. He spent a season and a half with Arsenal, playing 52 matches and scoring 4 goals.
Later Career and Coaching
In the summer of 2000, Tarkhanov, who had previously coached Samaroni at CSKA and Torpedo, invited his former protégé to join Krylia Sovetov. In Samara, Samaroni became one of the leaders of the team's defense, playing for 2 and a half years, participating in 52 matches and scoring 2 goals. On August 24, 2002, Krylia Sovetov organized a farewell match for Samaroni upon his departure from the team. After leaving Krylia Sovetov, Samaroni joined Rubin, becoming the first Brazilian player in the club's history. In his first season, Rubin was promoted to the Premier League of the Russian Championship, but Samaroni spent most of his time on the bench. He acted as a translator and helped other Brazilians in the club, like Roni and Aloizio, to settle in. During his time at Rubin, Samaroni began to consider a career in coaching.
Samaroni ended his playing career at Terek in 2003. During his presentation at Terek, which took place in Gudermes, the team's bus passed several checkpoints, leaving a strong impression on Samaroni. After retiring from playing, Samaroni pursued a coaching career, taking charge of Uniao Barbarense from April to December 2004 and from March to September 2005. He also worked as an assistant coach to Yuri Panfilov at the club during January to March 2005. Samaroni even tried to help his fellow Brazilians, Carlos Alberto and Angelo, who were living in poverty, find a place in Uniao Barbarense. After leaving Uniao Barbarense, Samaroni began working as an unlicensed football agent, scouting talented players in Brazil and assisting in their transfers to Eastern European clubs. He regularly attended youth matches in Brazil, searching for young talents for clubs in Eastern Europe.
In 2008, Samaroni worked as an assistant to Zico at Bunyodkor club. When Samaroni started playing in Russia, his wife, Cristiana, left him with their son, Mateus. Later, he met Elana, who had two daughters from her previous marriage and worked as an animal feed salesperson. Samaroni moved in with her in Santa Barbara d'Oeste and they got married in 2007. Samaroni developed a liking for tea and raisins, which he had become accustomed to during his time in Russia.
Achievements:
- Rio Grande do Sul State Champion: 1995
- Russian Champion: 1998
- Winner of the Russian Cup: 2003/04
