Léo Chú

Leonardo Alves Chú Franco (born 6 April 2000), known as Léo Chú, is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a winger for Major League Soccer club Seattle Sounders FC.

In this Portuguese name, the first or maternal family name is Chú and the second or paternal family name is Franco.
Léo Chú
Chú with Seattle in 2023
Personal information
Full name Leonardo Alves Chú Franco[1]
Date of birth (2000-04-06) 6 April 2000[1]
Place of birth Porto Alegre, Brazil
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Seattle Sounders FC
Number 23
Youth career
2010–2019 Grêmio
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2020–2021 Grêmio 4 (0)
2020–2021 → Ceará (loan) 22 (3)
2021– Seattle Sounders FC 54 (4)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 04:30, 11 July 2023 (UTC)

Club career

Grêmio

Léo Chú was born in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, and joined Grêmio's youth setup at the age of ten. On 5 February 2020, he renewed his contract until the end of 2024.[2]

Ceará (loan)

On 10 February 2020, Léo Chú was loaned to fellow Série A side Ceará until the end of the season.[3] He made his senior debut twelve days later, coming on as a second-half substitute for Wescley in a 1–0 Campeonato Cearense home win against Caucaia.[4]

Léo Chú made his top tier debut occurred on 12 October 2020, as he started in a 2–1 home success over Corinthians.[5] He scored his first goal in the category on 25 November, netting the equalizer in a 1–1 home draw against São Paulo.

2021 season

Back to Grêmio for the 2021 campaign, Léo Chú made his debut for the club on 14 March, starting in a 2–0 Campeonato Gaúcho away win against Esportivo.[6] Late in the month, he scored the equalizer in a 2–2 draw at São Luiz-RS.[7]

Seattle Sounders FC

On August 5, 2021, Léo Chú signed with Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer.[8] He made his debut for the club on September 14, coming on as a substitute and providing an assist to Raúl Ruidíaz's goal in stoppage time to win a Leagues Cup semifinal against Santos Laguna. Chú made his MLS debut on September 29 against the San Jose Earthquakes with another substitute appearance.[9]

He set a club record with four assists—all to Jordan Morris—in a 4–1 defeat of Sporting Kansas City in March 2023.[10]

Career statistics
As of 4 April 2021[11]
Club Season League State League Cup Continental Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Ceará 2020 Série A 2232050—1[lower-alpha 1]0303
Grêmio 2021 Série A 0092003[lower-alpha 2]0—122
Seattle Sounders FC 2021 MLS 81––1000081
2022 MLS 25 0 – – – – – – – – 25 0
2023 MLS 31 5 – – – – – – – – 31 5
Career total 86911260301010611
  1. Appearance(s) in Copa do Nordeste
  2. Two appearances in Copa Libertadores, one appearance in Copa Sudamericana

Honours

Grêmio

Seattle Sounders FC

References
  1. "FIFA Club World Cup Morocco 2022™: List of Players: Seattle Sounders FC" (PDF). FIFA. 7 February 2023. p. 6. Archived (PDF) from the original on 12 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  2. "Promessa da base, Léo Chú renova com o Grêmio e será emprestado ao Ceará" [Youth prospect, Léo Chú renews with Grêmio and will be loaned to Ceará] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Gaúcha ZH. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  3. "Atacante Léo Chú é o novo contratado do Ceará para a temporada 2020" [Forward Léo Chú is the new signing of Ceará for the 2020 season] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Ceará SC. 10 February 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  4. "Rodrigão marca de cabeça e Ceará vence o Caucaia pelo Campeonato Cearense" [Rodrigão scores from a header and Ceará defeat Caucaia for the Campeonato Cearense] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Ceará SC. 22 February 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  5. "Léo Chu agradece chance dada por Guto e se diz ansioso por primeiro gol no profissional" [Léo Chu thanks chance given by Guto and says he is anxious for his first professional goal] (in Brazilian Portuguese). O Povo. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
  6. "Léo Chú lembra início sem chuteiras e vibra com nova chance no Grêmio: "Só o começo"" [Léo Chú remembers beginnings without boots and vibrates with new chance at Grêmio: "Only the beginning"] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  7. "Após primeiro gol pelo Grêmio, Léo Chú se emociona: "Que seja início de uma trajetória linda"" [After first goal for Grêmio, Léo Chú gets emotional: "May it be the beginning of a beautiful path"] (in Brazilian Portuguese). GloboEsporte.com. 1 April 2021. Retrieved 17 May 2021.
  8. "Sounders FC adds Brazilian attacker Léo Chú and French winger Nicolas Benezet on transfer deadline day". Seattle Sounders FC. August 5, 2021. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  9. Krasnoo, Ryan (September 30, 2021). "Leó Chú showcases potential in MLS debut against San Jose". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved October 9, 2021.
  10. Evans, Jayda (April 21, 2023). "How a 'hunger' and team-first approach have earned Leo Chu a Sounders starting spot". The Seattle Times. Retrieved April 26, 2023.
  11. Léo Chú at Soccerway. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
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