Lucas Leiva

Lucas Pezzini-Leiva known as Lucas, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Premier League side Liverpool and the Brazil national team as a defensive midfielder. Lucas began his career at Grêmio as a Central Attacking Midfielder in 2005. The following year, Grêmio won the Rio Grande do Sul state championship for the first time since 2001, and also came third in the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A. Lucas also became the youngest player ever to receive Placar magazine\'s Bola de Ouro (Golden Ball), given to the best player in the Campeonato Brasileiro. On 26 July 2007, he officially signed on with Liverpool for a fee of £5 million and was given international clearance to compete in the final of the Barclays Asia Trophy. Lucas scored his first goal for Liverpool on 27 January 2008 during an FA Cup match against Havant and Waterlooville. He was part of the squad that was selected to participate in the Beijing Olympic Games where his team won a bronze medal. On 14 March, Lucas played a key role in Liverpool\'s 4–1 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford. On 3 May 2009, Lucas scored his first Premier League goal, a header from a free-kick for Liverpool against Newcastle United in a 3–0 win. In pre-season games before the 2010–11 season, Lucas was made captain of a youthful Liverpool side against Grasshopper. Lucas is the former captain of the Brazilian Under-20 team. He has led the team to victory in the 2007 South American Youth Championship, scoring 4 goals in the process. In June 2008, Lucas was named in the Brazil squad for an Olympics warm-up match later in the month.