Liverpool FC player profile - Lucas Leiva

Lucas Pezzini Leva, more widely known as Lucas Leiva or just Lucas Liverpool FC and Brazil footballer, was born on January 09 1987 in Dourados, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Lucas Leiva began his professional football career at the then Brazilian Serie B side Gremio making his first team debut on 22 October 2005 in a league fixture against Nautico. By the end of his first 05/06 season Lucas Leiva had helped Gremio gain promotion to the top league in Brazilian football, the following season saw further success for Lucas Leiva at Gremio as they won the 'Rio Grande do Sul' state championship and finished third in the league.

Lucas Leiva also became the youngest ever player to win Brazilian football's coveted 'Bola de Ouro', following in the footsteps of such greats as Zico, Falcao, Romario, Kaka and Carlos Tevez. Lucas Leiva's form went from strength to strength throughout the 06/07 season and as it came to a close there were a number of European clubs rumoured to be interested in signing Lucas Leiva. As the season drew to a close it was Liverpool FC who, on 13 May 2007, announced Lucas Leiva as their latest acquisition for a fee of around £6 million. Lucas Leiva remained with Gremio until the end of the Brazilian season and was then officially unveiled by Liverpool FC at the end of July 2007, his first full competitive debut came in November 2007.

Lucas Leiva's first goal for Liverpool FC came on 27 January 2008 in an FA Cup tie against Havant and Waterloovile. Lucas Leiva made his international debut with Brazil's senior team in October 2006 in a friendly match against Al Kuwait, however, this was not considered to be an official match and so Lucas Leiva's first actual cap came almost a year later on 22 August 2007 when he came on as a substitute in a friendly against Algeria. Lucas Leiva's first major tournament with Brazil came in the summer of 2008 in the Beijing Olympics when he came home with a bronze medal.