Ilya Yuryevich Leonov (russian: Илья Юрьевич Леонов; born 21 December 1979 in

Moscow Moscow ( , US chiefly ; rus, links=no, Москва, r=Moskva, p=mɐskˈva, a=Москва.ogg) is the capital and largest city of Russia. The city stands on the Moskva River in Central Russia, with a population estimated at 13.0 millio ...

) is a retired Russian beach soccer and former

futsal Futsal is a football-based game played on a hard court smaller than a football pitch, and mainly indoors. It has similarities to five-a-side football and indoor football. Futsal is played between two teams of five players each, one of whom is ...

player. From 2010 to 2018, he played for

Lokomotiv Moscow FC Lokomotiv Moscow (''FC Lokomotiv Moskva'', russian: link=no, Футбольный клуб "Локомотив" Москва, ) is a Russian professional football club based in Moscow. Lokomotiv have won the Russian Premier League on three oc ...

, where for a time he served both as player and coach. After his retirement as a player he is coaching the

Russia women's national beach soccer team Russia women's national beach soccer team (russian: Женская сборная России по пляжному футболу) represents Russia in international women's beach soccer competitions and is controlled by the Russian Football Fe ...

, winning with them two

Euro Beach Soccer Cup The Euro Beach Soccer Cup (EBSC), originally known as the ''European Pro Beach Soccer Championships'' until 2004, was a biennial (previously annual) beach soccer competition contested between European men's national teams, organised by Beach Socce ...

s in a row, and continues coaching Lokomotiv Moscow. He is Merited Master of Sports of Russia.

Career

Leonov made his first steps into football in the school "Timiryazevets". He debuted in professional sports for Sportakademklub Moscow. After three seasons, Leonov decided to switch to

by debuting for Poligran Moscow. Following two seasons in the premier league, that club gained entry to the highest national futsal league. The 2002/03 season was the last one for Poligran, after which it was abolished. Leonov went to the Leman-Payp Moscow, then he played for

Yakutia Sakha, officially the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia),, is the largest republic of Russia, located in the Russian Far East, along the Arctic Ocean, with a population of roughly 1 million. Sakha comprises half of the area of its governing Far E ...

n Almaz-Alrosa. In the second-highest division from 2009 to 2010 he and his team won the trophy. In 2005, Leonov discovered beach soccer. Between futsal seasons he participated on beach soccer tournaments. He quickly debuted for the national beach soccer team and considerably helped his team to progress. In 2009 and 2011 the Russians won the superfinal of the

Euro Beach Soccer League The Euro Beach Soccer League (EBSL) is the premier competition in beach soccer contested between European men's national teams. The competition has been held annually since its establishment in 1998, making it the oldest beach soccer tournament in ...

, and soon won their first championship title. Leonov as captain received the Golden Ball award. On 21 December 2012, Leonov was named Merited Master of Sports by the order of the Sports Minister.

Achievements

Some of Leonov's notable achievements:

As player

Futsal clubs

*European Champions Cup: 2006 *Club World Cup: 2005 *Intercontinental Cup: 2005, 2006, 2007

Beach soccer clubs

*Russian National Championship: 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016 *Russian Cup: 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 *Russian Super Cup: 2011 * Euro Winners Cup: 2013 * Mundialito de Clubes: 2012

Beach soccer national team

* FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup: 2011, 2013 *

: 2005, 2010, 2012 *

: 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 * Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015

Individually

*2011 season ** FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup – Golden Ball *2012 season **Merited Master of Sports (21 December 2012) *2013 season **

, Stage 5 – MVP **Euro Beach Soccer League, Superfinal – MVP

As coach

* Women's Euro Beach Soccer Cup: 2018, 2019

References

External links

Profile at Beach Soccer Russia
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leonov, Ilya Russian beach soccer players 1979 births Living people Sportspeople from Moscow Russian men's futsal players European Games gold medalists for Russia Beach soccer players at the 2015 European Games European Games medalists in beach soccer