Yoandy Leal

Yoandy Leal Hidalgo (born 31 August 1988) is a volleyball player who plays as a wing-spiker for Italian club Modena Volley.[1] Born in Cuba, he is a former member of the Cuba men's national team (2007–2010) and currently represents Brazil (since 2019) after gained the Brazilian citizenship in June 2015.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Leal and the second or maternal family name is Hidalgo.
Yoandy Leal
Personal information
Full nameYoandy Leal Hidalgo
NationalityCuban
Brazilian (since 2015)
Born (1988-08-31) 31 August 1988
Havana, Cuba
Height2.01 m (6 ft 7 in)
Weight105 kg (231 lb)
Spike371 cm (146 in)
Block348 cm (137 in)
Volleyball information
PositionOutside hitter
Current club Modena Volley
Number17
Career
YearsTeams
2012–2017
2018–2021
2021-		 Sada Cruzeiro
Volley Lube
Modena Volley
National team
2007–2010
2019–		 Cuba
 Brazil
Honours
Men's volleyball
Representing  Cuba
FIVB World Championship
2010 Italy
FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
2009 Japan
NORCECA Championship
2009 Puerto Rico
Representing  Brazil
FIVB World Cup
2019 Japan
FIVB Nations League
2021 Rimini
CSV South American Championship
2019 Chile

Leal played four years with the Cuban national team, debuting at the 2007 FIVB Volleyball Men's U21 World Championship. In the 2008 World Olympic Qualification Tournament in Düsseldorf that would give a spot at the 2008 Summer Olympics. Cuba did not qualify finishing second to hosts Germany, but Leal was chosen Best Spiker and Server of the championship. His last tournament with Cuba was the 2010 FIVB Volleyball Men's World Championship, where Leal won the silver medal.

Still pursuing his dream of playing in the Olympics, Leal left Cuba in 2010, establishing himself in volleyball potency Brazil, at the city of Belo Horizonte. After two years not playing, Leal signed with local team Sada Cruzeiro. Soon he was a vital part of the team, winning two editions each of the Brazilian Superligas, South American Championships and FIVB Volleyball Men's Club World Championship. Leal started his naturalization process in 2013, and in 2015 he was given the Brazilian nationality. Afterwards he contacted the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball to see how soon he could play for Brazil's national team, as team coach Bernardo Rezende already expressed interest in having Leal in the squad for the 2016 Summer Olympics.[2]

Sporting achievements

Clubs

Individual awards

References
  1. "Modena Volley | Prima Squadra". www.modenavolley.it (in Italian). Retrieved 1 December 2021.
  2. 'Sei que posso ajudar' , Estado de Minas (in Portuguese)
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