Yoandy Leal

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Leal and the second or maternal family name is Hidalgo.
Yoandy Leal
Leal in 2019
Personal information
Full nameYoandy Leal Hidalgo
NationalityCuban
Brazilian (since 2015)
Born (1988-08-31) 31 August 1988 (age 36)
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 clubLokomotiv
Number17
Career
YearsTeams
2006–2011
2012–2017
2018–2021
2021–2022
2022–2024
2024-		La Habana
Sada Cruzeiro
Volley Lube
Modena Volley
Gas Sales Piacenza
Lokomotiv
National team
2007–2010
2019–2024		 Cuba
 Brazil
Honours
Men's volleyball
Representing  Brazil
FIVB World Championship
Bronze medal – third place 2022 Poland/Slovenia Team
FIVB World Cup
Gold medal – first place 2019 Japan
FIVB Nations League
Gold medal – first place 2021 Rimini
CSV South American Championship
Gold medal – first place 2019 Chile
Silver medal – second place 2023 Recife
Representing  Cuba
FIVB World Championship
Silver medal – second place 2010 Italy
FIVB World Grand Champions Cup
Silver medal – second place 2009 Japan
NORCECA Championship
Gold medal – first place 2009 Puerto Rico

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

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 as a volleyball star in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. After two years of 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 Brazilian nationality. Afterward, he contacted the International Volleyball Federation 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] He joined the Brazilian national team in 2019.

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