Leandro Somoza (born January 26 1981 in Buenos Aires) is an Argentine football midfielder currently playing for Real Betis in Spain.
He also has an Italian passport.
Club career
Somoza began his professional career playing for Velez Sarsfield in the Argentine Primera in 2001. He played for the club for five years before joining Villareal on a five year contract.
He is joining fellow countrymen Juan Roman Riquelme, Gonzalo Javier Rodriguez, Rodolfo Arruabarrena, Fabricio Fuentes and Mariano Barbosa at the Spanish Primera Division club.
The highlight of Somoza's club career so far is being part of the Velez Sarsfield that won the 2005 Argentine Primera Clausura Tournament.
He joined Real Betis on loan during August 2007. He was presented to the media on 14 August. He made his first appearance in a friendly against La Liga side Real Zaragoza on 16 August. His first competitive debut came in the La Liga season against Recreativo de Huelva on 26 August.
International career
Somoza was given his debut for Argentina by new manager Alfio Basile in the friendly international against Brazil at the Emirates Stadium in London, England. Despite Argentina's relatively poor performance and their 3-0 defeat, Basile has kept faith with his young sqaud, picking Somoza for subsequent squads.
