Diogo Leite (footballer, born 1999)

Diogo Filipe Monteiro Pinto Leite (born 23 January 1999) is a Portuguese professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Bundesliga club Union Berlin.

Diogo Leite
Leite training with Porto in 2018
Personal information
Full name Diogo Filipe Monteiro Pinto Leite[1]
Date of birth (1999-01-23) 23 January 1999 (age 25)[2]
Place of birth Porto, Portugal[2]
Height 1.90 m (6 ft 3 in)[3]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Union Berlin
Number 4
Youth career
2007–2008 Leixões
2008–2018 Porto
2014–2015Padroense (loan)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017–2021 Porto B 47 (1)
2018–2023 Porto 31 (2)
2021–2022Braga (loan) 23 (0)
2022–2023Union Berlin (loan) 28 (0)
2023– Union Berlin 45 (0)
International career
2014–2015 Portugal U16 9 (1)
2015–2016 Portugal U17 16 (0)
2017 Portugal U18 5 (0)
2017–2018 Portugal U19 10 (0)
2017–2019 Portugal U20 8 (0)
2018–2021 Portugal U21 22 (2)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Portugal
UEFA European U21 Championship
Runner-up 2021
UEFA European U19 Championship
Runner-up 2017
UEFA European U17 Championship
Winner 2016
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 December 2024

Club career

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Porto

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Born in Porto, Leite joined FC Porto's youth academy at the age of 9.[4] He made his professional debut with the reserve team on 27 August 2017, playing the entire 1–0 home win against C.D. Santa Clara for the LigaPro.[5]

In late July 2018, due to several injuries to the back sector,[6] first-team manager Sérgio Conceição called Leite for the upcoming Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira match against C.D. Aves;[7] he partnered Felipe in that match, a 3–1 victory in Aveiro.[8] Shortly before that event, he had renewed his contract until 2023.[4]

Leite's maiden appearance in the Primeira Liga took place on 11 August 2018 in the season opener, and he again played the entire 5–0 home defeat of G.D. Chaves.[9] He scored his first goal in the competition the following weekend, helping to a 3–2 victory at B-SAD;[10] shortly after, however, he returned to the reserves.[11]

On 31 August 2021, Leite was loaned to S.C. Braga for one year.[12] He made 34 competitive appearances during his spell at the Estádio Municipal de Braga, but only five in the last three months.[13][14]

Union Berlin

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In July 2022, still owned by Porto, Leite joined 1. FC Union Berlin with a buying option.[15] After a successful first season, helping the Bundesliga club to secure qualification for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in its history and totalling 40 games, he signed a permanent contract for 7.500.000.[16]

International career

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Leite won his first cap for Portugal at under-21 level at the age of only 19, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 3–2 friendly win over Italy.[17] He was later used as a starter by coach Rui Jorge in both legs of the 2019 UEFA European Championship play-offs, lost to Poland 3–1 on aggregate.[18][19]

In October 2022, Leite was named in a preliminary 55-man squad for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.[20] On 26 March 2023, he remained on the bench of a 6–0 victory in Luxembourg for the UEFA Euro 2024 qualifiers.[21]

Career statistics

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As of match played 14 December 2024[22]
Club Season League National Cup[a] League Cup[b] Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Porto B 2017–18 LigaPro 28 0 3[c] 0 31 0
2018–19 16 1 16 1
2019–20 2 0 2 0
2020–21 1 0 1 0
Total 47 1 3 0 50 1
Porto 2018–19 Primeira Liga 3 1 0 0 1 0 1[d] 0 1[e] 0 6 1
2019–20 9 0 6 0 2 1 1[f] 0 18 1
2020–21 19 1 2 0 2 0 3[d] 0 1[e] 0 27 1
Total 31 2 8 0 5 1 5 0 2 0 51 3
Braga (loan) 2021–22 Primeira Liga 23 0 3 0 2 0 6[f] 0 0 0 34 0
Union Berlin (loan) 2022–23 Bundesliga 28 0 3 0 9[f] 0 40 0
Union Berlin 2023–24 Bundesliga 32 0 2 1 6[d] 0 40 1
2024–25 Bundesliga 13 0 1 0 14 0
Total 45 0 3 1 6 0 54 1
Career total 174 3 17 1 7 1 26 0 5 0 229 5
  1. ^ Includes Taça de Portugal and DFB-Pokal
  2. ^ Includes Taça da Liga
  3. ^ Appearances in Premier League International Cup
  4. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Champions League
  5. ^ a b Appearance in Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira
  6. ^ a b c Appearances in UEFA Europa League

Honours

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Porto Youth

Porto

Portugal

Individual

References

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  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Poland 2019: List of Players: Portugal" (PDF). FIFA. 13 June 2019. p. 16. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 February 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Diogo Leite" (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
  3. ^ "Diogo Leite" (in German). 1. FC Union Berlin. Retrieved 4 August 2022.
  4. ^ a b "FC Porto renova com jovem promessa Diogo Leite" [FC Porto renew with young prospect Diogo Leite] (in Portuguese). Rádio Renascença. 30 July 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  5. ^ "FC Porto B-Santa Clara, 1–0: Dragões tiram invencibilidade aos açorianos" [FC Porto B-Santa Clara, 1–0: Azoreans no longer undefeated courtesy of dragons]. Record (in Portuguese). 27 August 2017. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  6. ^ "Defesa continua a ser dor de cabeça para Sérgio Conceição. Diogo Leite é opção para a Supertaça" [Defence is still an headache for Sérgio Conceição. Diogo Leite is an option for the Supercup] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  7. ^ Pires, Sérgio (3 August 2018). ""Diogo Leite tem uma década de FC Porto: sabe o que é a exigência"" ["Diogo Leite has one decade of FC Porto: he knows what expectation is"] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  8. ^ a b "FC Porto conquista Supertaça pela 21.ª vez" [FC Porto conquer Supercup for the 21st time] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  9. ^ Andrade, David (11 August 2018). "FC Porto começa defesa do título com uma goleada" [FC Porto start title defence with rout]. Público (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  10. ^ Pires, Bruno (19 August 2018). "Fantasma do Jamor ainda assustou Conceição" [Ghost of the Jamor still scared Conceição]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  11. ^ Casaca, Manuel (10 February 2019). "Lesionados ao serviço da equipa B do FC Porto e em dúvida para Roma" [Injured while playing for B team of FC Porto and in doubt for Roma]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  12. ^ Casaca, Manuel (31 August 2021). "Diogo Leite emprestado pelo FC Porto ao Braga" [Diogo Leite loaned by FC Porto to Braga]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  13. ^ Pires, Sérgio (30 May 2022). "FC Porto: Sp. Braga não avança para a contratação de Diogo Leite" [FC Porto: Sp. Braga will not push to sign Diogo Leite] (in Portuguese). Mais Futebol. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  14. ^ Magalhães, Ana Luísa (3 June 2022). "Emprestados pelo FC Porto redifinem futuro e três têm transferência na mira" [FC Porto loanees sort out future and three have sights set on transfer]. O Jogo (in Portuguese). Retrieved 7 July 2022.
  15. ^ Koch, Matthias (16 July 2022). "Verteidiger Leite schon im Union-Trainingslager" [Defender Leite has joined Union's training camp]. B.Z. (in German). Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  16. ^ "Oficial: Diogo Leite em definitivo no Union Berlim" [Official: Diogo Leite permanently to Union Berlin]. A Bola (in Portuguese). 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  17. ^ "Seleção sub-21 de Portugal vence Itália em amigável disputado no Estoril" [Under-21 Portuguese national team beat Italy in friendly held in Estoril] (in Portuguese). SAPO. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  18. ^ "Portugal em vantagem sobre a Polónia no "play-off"" [Portugal ahead of Poland in play-off] (in Portuguese). UEFA. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  19. ^ "Golo de Diogo Jota insuficiente e Seleção falha apuramento para Europeu de Sub-21" [Diogo Jota goal not enough and national team miss out on qualification for Under-21 Euro]. Record (in Portuguese). 20 November 2018. Retrieved 21 November 2018.
  20. ^ "A lista de pré-convocados da Seleção p'sara o Mundial'2022: conheça todos os nomes" [The pre-selected for the 2022 World Cup: know all the names]. Record (in Portuguese). 23 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
  21. ^ "Luxembourg 0–6 Portugal". BBC Sport. 26 March 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  22. ^ Diogo Leite at Soccerway
  23. ^ Almeida, Isaura (29 April 2019). "FC Porto é campeão Europeu Sub-19" [FC Porto are Under-19 European champions]. Diário de Notícias (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 30 April 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  24. ^ "FC Porto é o campeão nacional 2019/2020" [FC Porto is the 2019/2020 national champion] (in Portuguese). Rádio e Televisão de Portugal. 16 July 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  25. ^ "Taça de Portugal: FC Porto conquista "dobradinha"" [Portuguese Cup: FC Porto wins "double"] (in Portuguese). Deutsche Welle. 2 August 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
  26. ^ Ribeiro, Patrick (23 December 2020). "FC Porto claim Super Cup joy over rivals Benfica". PortuGOAL. Retrieved 24 December 2020.
  27. ^ "Under-17 – Portugal prevail on penalties against Spain". UEFA. May 2016. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  28. ^ "[Under-17] The UEFA technical team – Team of the Tournament". UEFA. Retrieved 7 August 2018.
  29. ^ "CD Feirense e SL Benfica dominam prémios do mês de agosto" [CD Feirense and SL Benfica dominate awards for the month of August] (in Portuguese). Liga Portuguesa de Futebol Profissional. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 10 January 2019.
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