Leonardo Balerdi
Balerdi with Marseille in 2021
Personal information
Date of birth (1999-01-26) 26 January 1999
Place of birth Villa Mercedes, Argentina
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre back
Team information
Current team
Marseille
Number 5
Youth career
2005–2013 Sportivo Pueyrredón
2013–2018 Boca Juniors
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018–2019 Boca Juniors 5 (0)
2019–2020 Borussia Dortmund II 12 (1)
2019–2021 Borussia Dortmund 7 (0)
2020–2021Marseille (loan) 21 (2)
2021– Marseille 65 (1)
International career
2018–2019 Argentina U20 9 (0)
2019 Argentina U23 1 (0)
2019– Argentina 2 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Argentina
South American U-20 Championship
Silver medal – second place2019U-20 Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:56, 12 January 2024 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 13 October 2019

Leonardo Balerdi (born 26 January 1999) is an Argentine professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Ligue 1 club Marseille[2] and the Argentina national team.

Club career

Boca Juniors

Balerdi made his debut for Boca Juniors in the Argentine Primera División starting against Club Atlético Huracán on 27 August 2018.[3] Although only appearing 5 times for Boca Juniors (a total of 450 minutes on the pitch[4]), Balerdi's performances took Argentinian football by storm and he has rapidly been hailed as Argentina's best upcoming defender.

Borussia Dortmund

In January 2019, Balerdi agreed to a four and a half year contract with Borussia Dortmund.[5] According to several Argentine reports, Dortmund has agreed to pay €15 million for the central defender. An additional €2 million might need to be paid due to agreed add-ons.[6][7]

Balerdi made his Dortmund and Bundesliga debut on 7 December 2019 against Fortuna Düsseldorf coming onto the pitch as a substitute in the 78th minute.[8] After a few substitute appearances, Balerdi made his first start against 1899 Hoffenheim in the last Bundesliga fixture of the 2019–20 season. He was substituted in the 65th minute as Dortmund trailed 4–0.[9]

Olympique de Marseille (loan)

In July 2020, Balerdi signed with Olympique de Marseille on a one-year loan deal with an option to buy for €15 million.[10]

Olympique de Marseille

On 3 July 2021, Balerdi joined Marseille on a permanent basis, signing a five-year contract with the club.[11]

International career

Balerdi holds both Argentine and Italian nationality.[12]

He made his Argentina national team debut on 10 September 2019 in a friendly against Mexico. He replaced Lucas Martínez Quarta in the 83rd minute.[13]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 20 December 2023
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] Continental[lower-alpha 2] Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Boca Juniors 2018–19 Argentine Primera División 50000050
Borussia Dortmund II 2018–19 Regionalliga West 4141
2019–20 8080
Total 121000000121
Borussia Dortmund 2019–20 Bundesliga 70001080
Marseille (loan) 2020–21 Ligue 1 212103000252
Marseille 2021–22 Ligue 1 1703040240
2022–23 3503061441
2023–24 1210060181
Total 6416016100862
Career total 109470201001365

International

As of match played 13 October 2019[14]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Argentina
201920
Total20

Honours

Boca Juniors

Marseille

Argentina U17

References

  1. "Leonardo Balerdi". Olympique de Marseille. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  2. "L. Balerdi". Soccerway. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  3. "Huracán vs. Boca Juniors". Soccerway. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  4. Horn, Gregory. "Leonardo Balerdi to Borussia Dortmund Finalized". Fear the Wall. Vox Media Inc. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
  5. Bahl, Tushar. "Borussia Dortmund sign highly rated centre back Leonardo Balerdi". Fansided.
  6. Smith, Jamie. "Balerdi on verge of Dortmund switch, admits Boca president". Goal.com. Retrieved 14 January 2019.
  7. Ambrose, Lewis. "Borussia Dortmund confirm signing of Leonardo Balerdi". Onefootball.
  8. "Marco Reus and Jadon Sancho star as five-star Borussia Dortmund dismantle Fortuna Düsseldorf". Bundesliga. 8 December 2019. Retrieved 10 December 2019.
  9. "Andrej Kramaric hits all four as Hoffenheim humble Borussia Dortmund to secure sixth spot". Bundesliga. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  10. "Leonardo Balerdi agrees to join Olympique Marseille from Borussia Dortmund". Mundo Albiceleste. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  11. "Leonardi Balerdi completes permanent transfer with OM". Olympique de Marseille. 3 July 2021.
  12. "Leonardo Balerdi". Ligue1 (in French). Retrieved 11 August 2023.
  13. "Argentina v Mexico game report". ESPN. 10 September 2019.
  14. "Leonardo Balerdi". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmermann. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
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