Leonardo Ponzio’s biography, net worth, fact, career, awards and life story

Intro Argentine footballer
A.K.A. Leonardo Daniel Ponzio
Is Athlete 
Football player 
Association football player 
From Argentina 
Type Sports 
Gender male
Birth 29 January 1982, Las Rosas, Santa Fe
Age: 38 years

Leonardo Daniel Ponzio (born 29 January 1982) is an Argentine footballer who plays for Club Atlético River Plate mainly as a defensive midfielder.
After starting out at Newell’s Old Boys in 2000 he went on to spend his professional career with Zaragoza and River Plate, appearing in 246 official games with the former and winning two major titles.

Club career

Born in Las Rosas, Santa Fe, Ponzio started his career in the youth system of Newell’s Old Boys in neighbouring Rosario, going on to collect more than 100 official appearances for the club. At only 21, he was signed by Spanish side Real Zaragoza for the 2003–04 season, for €3 million: after making his La Liga debut on 31 August 2003 in a 0–1 home loss against Deportivo de La Coruña, he went on to become an essential midfield figure for the Aragonese, only missing 11 games in three seasons combined.

However, when Zaragoza finished sixth in the 2006–07 campaign and qualified to the UEFA Cup, Ponzio had already left, moving in January 2007 to Club Atlético River Plate. He scored his first goal for his new team in the 2007 edition of the Copa Libertadores, against Chile’s Colo-Colo.

In January 2009, Ponzio returned to Zaragoza signing a four 1/2-year contract, with the club now in the second division. He contributed regularly as the team returned to the top flight immediately.

Ponzio was an everpresent defensive figure in 2009–10, inclusively featuring at right and left-back, while collecting 15 yellow cards. He scored his only goal of the season on 3 April 2010, striking from long range in a 2–0 home success against Málaga CF.

On 4 January 2012, aged 30, Ponzio, whose link with the club ran until June, left struggling – in sporting and financial terms – Zaragoza and returned to River Plate for personal reasons, signing a three 1/2-year contract.

International career

Ponzio played for Argentina at under-17 and under-20 levels, and received his first full cap in 2003. In 2001 he played all seven matches (five complete) as the national team won the FIFA U-20 World Cup, on home soil.

Honours

Club

Zaragoza
  • Copa del Rey: 2003–04
  • Supercopa de España: 2004
River Plate
  • Argentine Primera División: Clausura 2008, Torneo Final 2014, Superfinal 2014
  • Copa Libertadores: 2015
  • Copa Sudamericana: 2014
  • Recopa Sudamericana: 2015, 2016
  • Suruga Bank Championship: 2015
  • Primera B Nacional: 2011–12

Country

  • FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2001
  • Beckham misses out on Cup; BBC Sport, 17 March 2004
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