Leandro Cabrera

Leandro Daniel Cabrera Sasía (born 17 June 1991) is a Uruguayan professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Espanyol. Mainly a central defender, he can also play as a left-back.

He spent the vast majority of his career in Spain, making 299 appearances in the Segunda División and more than 200 in La Liga. Other than in his own country, he also competed professionally in Italy.

Club career Atlético Madrid Born in Montevideo,

In a strange first season, where he even failed to appear for the reserves, Cabrera's debut for the first team only took place on 2 May 2010, featuring as a left-back in a 3–1 away defeat against Sevilla FC. He was also booked in the game.

In the summer of 2010, Cabrera was loaned to Recreativo de Huelva for 2010–11, with the Andalusians in the Segunda División. He joined another second-tier side, CD Numancia, on loan for the next campaign. The following five years – the first two on loan – he continued competing at that level with Hércules CF, Real Madrid Castilla and Real Zaragoza.

Crotone On 15 July 2017, free agent Cabrera joined FC Crotone on a three-year deal. His debut in the Serie A took place on 20 August, when he featured the full 90 minutes in the 3–0 home loss to AC Milan.

Getafe Cabrera returned to the Spanish top flight on 15 January 2018, being loaned to Getafe CF. The move was made permanent on 7 July, and he rarely missed a match during his spell at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez.

Espanyol On 20 January 2020, Cabrera signed a four-and-a-half-year contract with RCD Espanyol after his €9 million release clause was paid. In March, he tested positive for COVID-19.

Following the departure of David López in the 2022 off-season, Cabrera was named captain while also agreeing to an extension until 2026. On 28 August, as his team had no more substitutions left (a reserve goalkeeper was on the bench, however), he played a couple of minutes in goal after Benjamin Lecomte was sent off already in injury time, conceding one goal from Karim Benzema in an eventual 3–1 home defeat to Real Madrid.

International career Cabrera represented Uruguay in two editions of the FIFA U-20 World Cup, reaching the round of 16 in 2009. On 7 January 2022, aged already 30, he was called by the full side for the first time, for 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Venezuela. In October, he was named in a 55-man preliminary squad for the finals in Qatar.

Career statistics

Honours Defensor Uruguayan Primera División: Clausura 2009

Atlético Madrid UEFA Europa League: 2009–10

Espanyol Segunda División: 2020–21