It's rare that MLS surprises us with a Yank we didn't know about (especially one on the books of an EPL club), but here you go: Leonardo Campara Date of birth: July 24, 2000 https://www.intermiamicf.com/news/i...nternational-forward-leonardo-campana-on-loan Inter Miami CF announced today that it has signed Ecuadorian international forward Leonardo Campana from the English Premier League’s Wolverhampton Wanderers FC on loan. The 21-year-old forward will bolster the team’s attack through the 2022 season, and the club will hold a purchase option. Campana, who holds American citizenship and will not occupy an international roster slot, joins the club pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC). He has 10 caps for Ecuador, including Copa America & WCQs, so he's off the table for USMNT call-up. TM profile: https://www.transfermarkt.us/leonardo-campana/profil/spieler/606872 Wiki page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonardo_Campana Hasn't made an EPL appearance, but has played for Barcelona (in Ecuador), Famalicão (in Portugal) and for Grasshoppers in Switzerland. His father is a former tennis Olympian & politician from Ecuador, so the US connection must come through his mother. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pablo_Campana This may help to understand his timeline: Years Team Apps (Gls) 2016–2020 Barcelona SC 16 (3) 2020– Wolverhampton Wanderers 0 (0) 2020–2021 → Famalicão (loan) 9 (2) 2021 → Grasshopper (loan) 14 (3) 2022– → Inter Miami (loan) 0 (0)
I see that DMN was on the Twitter thread that was speculating on the source of citizenship. I've included some of those tweets to help fill out the picture. 1) The MLS quest to sign everyone from that Ecuador U20 team that beat the US U20 team in 2019 continues. Six starters and one bench player from that game are now in MLS.2) Was it ever known that this guy has US citizenship?! https://t.co/EobvTKTXS2— Jamie Hill (@_jameshill) January 20, 2022 Not that it means much except that I wasn't up to the challenge, but I spent some time trying to figure this out a while back because I saw him listed as having an American connection on a few sites. Could never pin it down. Has the source of his citizenship been reported?— Dave Marino-Nachison (@marinonachison) January 20, 2022 (and also in 2002, I guess.)Campana's grandfather was president of Barcelona SC (the Ecuadorian one, obviously), but he was married to the big-shot businesswoman.It's possible his dad married an American? I can't find any evidence though.— Jamie Hill (@_jameshill) January 20, 2022 Yeah, it's quite the bio. Well, a fresh Miami Herald story says it comes from "his mother's side" so I guess his mom (Isabel Romero) must have come into citizenship one way or another. No doubt we'll learn the rest soon enough.— Dave Marino-Nachison (@marinonachison) January 20, 2022 I hope I didn't poach anyone's efforts on putting a thread together.
Dude is lighting it up for Miami open cup winner A late goal by Leonardo Campana allows @MLS side @InterMiamiCF to survive @TheMiamiFC of @USLChampionship and advance to the @opencup Round of 321-0 | #USOC2022— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) April 20, 2022
The rule has been that domestically-based Yanks that are here on loan from foreign clubs qualify for this forum.
This guy is good. MLS Team Of The Week 🤩⚽️After his standout performance against Atlanta United, Leo Campana has been named to the @MLS Team of the Week for the second time this season.https://t.co/lANCEs1YpK— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) April 25, 2022 With a goal and an assist today, @InterMiamiCF forward Leonardo Campana has contributed to each of the club's last six @MLS goals (four goals, two assists). His streak ties Gonzalo Higuaín's club record of six consecutive goal involvements, set from 5/16/21 to 7/31/21. pic.twitter.com/Blry1z9Xfn— MLS Communications (@MLS_PR) April 24, 2022
Interview: https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/lost-found-for-leo-campana-the-world-cup-starts-in-miami @bungadi @TheFalseNine @dark knight Can we fix the name in the title? I messed it up at the origin. Thanks. Leonardo Campana at Inter Miami (olf Wolverhampton)
No longer a Wolves man: Leo is here to stay 9️⃣🔔We have exercised the option to complete the permanent transfer of forward Leonardo Campana from Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. with a contract through the end of the 2024 MLS season. Find out all the details: https://t.co/rEA5Tudvq6 pic.twitter.com/ZbSozMcpnj— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) January 20, 2023