{{Short description|Argentine footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Leonardo Ponzio | image = Leo Ponzio 2016.jpg | image_size = 200 | caption = Ponzio with River Plate in 2016 | fullname = Leonardo Daniel Ponzio<ref name=Bio>{{cite news|url=https://www.ole.com.ar/tema/leonardo-ponzio.html|title=Leonardo Ponzio|newspaper=Olé|language=Spanish|accessdate=22 March 2022}}</ref> | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1982|1|29|df=y}}<ref name=Bio/> | birth_place = Las Rosas, Argentina<ref name=Bio/> | height = 1.70 m<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cariverplate.com.ar/ver-jugador-leonardo-ponzio-20|title=Leonardo Ponzio|publisher=River Plate|language=Spanish|accessdate=15 November 2018}}</ref> | position = Defensive midfielder | currentclub = | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Newell's Old Boys | years1 = 2000–2003 | clubs1 = Newell's Old Boys | caps1 = 90 | goals1 = 9 | years2 = 2003–2006 | clubs2 = Zaragoza | caps2 = 114 | goals2 = 5 | years3 = 2007–2008 | clubs3 = River Plate | caps3 = 55 | goals3 = 1 | years4 = 2009–2012 | clubs4 = Zaragoza | caps4 = 100 | goals4 = 6 | years5 = 2012–2021 | clubs5 = River Plate | caps5 = 185 | goals5 = 8 | totalcaps = 544 | totalgoals = 29 | nationalyears1 = 2001 | nationalteam1 = Argentina U20 | nationalcaps1 = 7 | nationalgoals1 = 0 | nationalyears2 = 2003–2013 | nationalteam2 = Argentina | nationalcaps2 = 8 | nationalgoals2 = 0 | club-update = | nationalteam-update = }} '''Leonardo Daniel Ponzio''' (born 29 January 1982) is an Argentine former professional footballer who played mainly as a defensive midfielder. He is the player with the most titles won in the history of River Plate to date with 17 in total, surpassing Ángel Labruna.<ref>https://www.infobae.com/deportes/2021/12/19/leonardo-ponzio-se-convirtio-en-el-jugador-mas-ganador-de-la-historia-de-river/#:~:text=Leonardo%20Ponzio%2C%20una%20leyenda:%20se,se%20retiró%20del%20fútbol%20-%20Infobae</ref> He was also captain of River Plate, so after his retirement he was nicknamed '''The Eternal Captain''' (''El Capitán Eterno'')<ref>https://ypfelcruce.com.ar/desafio-ypf-ponzio/#:~:text=Descubre%20la%20historia%20de%20Leonardo%20Ponzio%2C%20el,ganó%20el%20corazón%20de%20todos%20los%20hinchas.</ref>
After starting out at Newell's Old Boys in 2000, he went on to spend his career with Zaragoza and River Plate, appearing in 246 competitive matches with the former club and winning the 2004 Copa del Rey, adding several more accolades during his two spells with the latter and going on to be one of the most decorated players in their history.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.diariopopular.com.ar/futbol/leonardo-ponzio-referente-y-sinonimo-titulos-river-n333261|title=Leonardo Ponzio, referente y sinónimo de títulos en River|trans-title=Leonardo Ponzio, reference and equal to titles at River|newspaper=Diario Popular|last=Siffredi|first=Carlos|language=Spanish|date=11 December 2017|accessdate=11 December 2018}}</ref>
==Club career== Born in Las Rosas, Santa Fe, Ponzio started his career in the youth system of Newell's Old Boys in neighbouring Rosario, going on to make more than 100 official appearances for the club. At only 21, he was signed by Real Zaragoza for the 2003–04 season, for €3 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=84115.html|title=Ponzio picked up by Zaragoza|publisher=UEFA|date=23 July 2003|accessdate=8 June 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121024061335/http://www.uefa.com/memberassociations/news/newsid=84115.html|archive-date=24 October 2012}}</ref> After making his La Liga debut on 31 August 2003 in a 0–1 home loss against Deportivo de La Coruña,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2003/08/31/liga/1062366979.html|title=Pandiani da al Deportivo los puntos de La Romareda|trans-title=Pandiani gives La Romareda points to Deportivo|newspaper=El Mundo|last=Carpio García|first=José A.|language=Spanish|date=31 August 2003|accessdate=21 May 2014}}</ref> he went on to become an essential midfield player for the Spanish side, only missing 11 matches over three seasons.
However, when Zaragoza finished sixth in the 2006–07 campaign and qualified for the UEFA Cup, Ponzio had already left, moving in January 2007 to Club Atlético River Plate. He scored his first goal for his new team in the 2007 edition of the Copa Libertadores, against Chile's Colo-Colo.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://urgente24.com/41294-2-goles-polemicos-y-un-mayor-merecimiento-le-dieron-la-victoria-a-river-ante-colo-colo-en-chil|title=2 goles polémicos, y un mayor merecimiento, le dieron la victoria a River ante Colo Colo en Chile: Fue 2 a 1|trans-title=2 controversial goals, and more merit, gave win to River against Colo Colo in Chile: It finished 2 to 1|publisher=Urgente 24|language=Spanish|date=23 February 2007|accessdate=22 March 2022}}</ref>
In January 2009, Ponzio returned to Zaragoza signing a four-and-a-half-year contract, with the club now in the Segunda División.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2009/02/01/mas_futbol/1233442816_850215.html|title=Ponzio: "Regresar a Zaragoza es perfecto para mí"|trans-title=Ponzio: "Returning to Zaragoza is perfect for me"|newspaper=Diario AS|language=Spanish|date=1 February 2009|accessdate=1 February 2009}}</ref> He contributed regularly as the team returned to the top flight immediately.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/2009/06/14/deportes/1244930404_850215.html|title=La burbuja de Marcelino|trans-title=Marcelino's bubble|newspaper=El País|last=Quixano|first=Jordi|language=Spanish|date=14 June 2009|accessdate=11 August 2019}}</ref>
Ponzio was an ever-present defensive figure in 2009–10, inclusively featuring at right and left-back,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.heraldo.es/noticias/deportes/borque_ponzio_laterales_eventuales.html|title=Borque y Ponzio, laterales eventuales|trans-title=Borque and Ponzio, eventual fullbacks|newspaper=Heraldo de Aragón|last=Giménez|first=Paco|language=Spanish|date=25 August 2009|accessdate=4 December 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/2011/10/18/futbol/equipos/zaragoza/1318928169.html|title='Zucu' se estrena en el lateral y sigue los pasos de Ponzio|trans-title='Zucu' has fullback debut and follows in Ponzio's footsteps|newspaper=Marca|last=Ortiz|first=Christian|language=Spanish|date=18 October 2011|accessdate=4 December 2015}}</ref> while collecting 15 yellow cards. He scored his only goal of the season on 3 April 2010, striking from long range in a 2–0 home win over Málaga CF.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/275779?cc=5739|title=Zaragoza on the up|publisher=ESPN Soccernet|date=3 April 2010|accessdate=18 May 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025085655/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/275779?cc=5739|archive-date=25 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://deportes.elpais.com/deportes/2010/04/03/actualidad/1270279330_850215.html|title=Diogo corre, Ponzio resuelve|trans-title=Diogo runs, Ponzio decides|newspaper=El País|last=Quixano|first=Jordi|language=Spanish|date=3 April 2010|accessdate=4 December 2015}}</ref>
On 4 January 2012, aged 30, Ponzio, whose link in Aragon ran until June, left struggling – in sporting and financial terms – Zaragoza and returned to River Plate for personal reasons, agreeing to a three-and-a-half-year deal.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.marca.com/2012/01/04/futbol/equipos/zaragoza/1325676263.html|title=Ponzio se desvincula del Zaragoza y ficha por River Plate|trans-title=Ponzio cuts ties with Zaragoza and signs for River Plate|newspaper=Marca|last=Gaudioso|first=Sonia|language=Spanish|date=4 January 2012|accessdate=4 January 2012}}</ref>
==International career== Ponzio played for Argentina at under-17 and under-20 levels, and earned his first full cap in 2003. In 2001, he played all seven matches (five complete) as the national team won the FIFA U-20 World Cup on home soil.<ref>{{FIFA player|184292}}</ref>
==Career statistics== {{updated|match played 16 May 2021}}<ref>{{BDFutbol|1745}}</ref><ref>{{Soccerway|leonardo-daniel-ponzio/3333}}</ref> {| style="background: #F9F9F9; font-size: 95%; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; clear:center" border="1" align="center" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="2" |- style="background:#DDDDDD" ! rowspan="2" width="150px" |Club ! rowspan="2" width="30px" |Div. ! rowspan="2" width="50px" | Season ! colspan="3" | League ! colspan="3" | National Cup<sup>(1)</sup> ! colspan="3" | Continental<sup>(2)</sup> ! colspan="3" | Total |- style="background:#DDDDDD" ! align="center" | Apps ! align="center" | Goals ! align="center" | Assists ! align="center" | Apps ! align="center" | Goals ! align="center" | Assists ! align="center" | Apps ! align="center" | Goals ! align="center" | Assists ! align="center" | Apps ! align="center" | Goals ! align="center" | Assists |-style="text-align: center;" |rowspan="5" align=center valign=center|'''Newell's Old Boys''' |-style="text-align: center;" |rowspan="4"|Primera División |1999–00 |1 || 0 || 0 || - || - || - || - || - || - ! 1 !! 0 !! 0 |-style="text-align: center;" |2000–01 |26 || 0 || 1 || - || - || - || - || - || - ! align="center" |26 ! align="center" |0 ! align="center" |1 |-style="text-align: center;" |2001–02 |33 || 5 || 3 || - || - || - || - || - || - ! 33 !! 5 !! 3 |-style="text-align: center;" |2002–03 |30 || 4 || 2 || - || - || - || - || - || - ! 30 !! 4 !! 2 |-align="center" style="background:#DDDDDD; color:#000000" !colspan="3"|'''Newell's total''' !90 !! 9 !! 6 !! - !! - !! - !! - !! - !! - !! 90 !! 9 !! 6 |-style="text-align: center;" | rowspan="6" align="center" valign="center" |'''Zaragoza''' |-style="text-align: center;" |rowspan="4"|La Liga |2003–04 |35 || 3 || 1 || 8 || 0 || 0 || - || - || - ! 43 !! 3 !! 1 |-style="text-align: center;" |2004–05 |33 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 8 || 0 || 0 ! 42 !! 1 !! 2 |-style="text-align: center;" |2005–06 |35 || 1 || 0 || 9 || 0 || 1 || - || - || - ! 44 !! 1 !! 1 |-style="text-align: center;" |2006–07 |11 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 || - || - || - ! 13 !! 0 !! 0 |-align="center" style="background:#DDDDDD; color:#000000" ! colspan="2"|'''Total''' !114 !! 5 !! 5 !! 20 !! 0 !! 1 !! 8 !! 0 !! 0 !! 142 !! 5 !! 6 |- style="text-align: center;" | rowspan="5" align="center" valign="center" |'''River Plate''' |-style="text-align: center;" |rowspan="3"|Primera División |2006–07 |14 || 1 || 0 || - || - || - || 6 || 1 || 0 ! 20 !! 2 !! 0 |-style="text-align: center;" |2007–08 |29 || 0 || 4 || - || - || - || 8 || 0 || 0 ! 37 !! 0 !! 4 |-style="text-align: center;" |2008–09 |12 || 0 || 0 || - || - || - || 2 || 0 || 0 ! 14 !! 0 !! 0 |-align="center" style="background:#DDDDDD; color:#000000" !colspan="2"|'''Total''' !55 !! 1 !! 4 !! - !! - !! - !! 16 !! 1 !! 0 !! 71 !! 2 !! 4 |-style="text-align: center;" | rowspan="6" align="center" valign="center" |'''Zaragoza''' |-style="text-align: center;" |- style="text-align: center;" |Segunda División |2008–09 |18 || 2 || 1 || - || - || - || - || - || - ! 18 !! 2 !! 1 |- style="text-align: center;" | rowspan="3" |La Liga |2009–10 |34 || 1 || 2 || 2 || 0 || 0 || - || - || - ! 36 !! 1 !! 2 |- style="text-align: center;" |2010–11 |32 || 2 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || - || - || - ! 33 !! 2 !! 1 |- style="text-align: center;" |2011–12 |16 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 0 || 0 || - || - || - ! 17 !! 1 !! 1 |- align="center" style="background:#DDDDDD; color:#000000" ! colspan="2" |'''Total''' !100 !! 6 !! 5 !! 4 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 104 !! 6 !! 5 |- align="center" style="background:#DDDDDD; color:#000000" ! colspan="3" |'''Zaragoza total''' !214 !! 11 !! 8 !! 24 !! 0 !! 1 !! 8 !! 0 !! 0 !! 246 !! 11 !! 9 |- style="text-align: center;" | rowspan="14" align="center" valign="center" |'''River Plate''' |-style="text-align: center;" |Primera Nacional |2011–12 |19 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || - || - || - ! 20 !! 1 !! 0 |-style="text-align: center;" |rowspan="11"|Primera División |2012–13 |29 || 4 || 6 || - || - || - || - || - || - ! 29 !! 4 !! 6 |-style="text-align: center;" |2013–14 |19 || 1 || 3 || 2 || 0 || 0 || 6 || 0 || 0 ! 27 !! 1 !! 3 |-style="text-align: center;" |2014 |10 || 0 || 1 || - || - || - || 8 || 0 || 0 ! 18 !! 0 !! 1 |-style="text-align: center;" |2015 |17 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 15 || 0 || 0 ! 33 !! 1 !! 0 |-style="text-align: center;" |2016 |13 || 0 || 1 || - || - || - || 4 || 0 || 1 ! 17 !! 0 !! 2 |-style="text-align: center;" |2016–17 |24 || 0 || 0 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 0 || 0 ! 36 !! 0 !! 0 |-style="text-align: center;" |2017–18 |17 || 1 || 0 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 12 || 0 || 1 ! 36 !! 1 !! 1 |-style="text-align: center;" |2018–19 |14 || 0 || 0 || 7 || 0 || 0 || 11 || 0 || 0 ! 32 !! 0 !! 0 |-style="text-align: center;" |2019–20 |4 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 0 || 5 || 0 || 0 ! 12 !! 0 !! 0 |-style="text-align: center;" |2020 | style=color:black colspan="3"| — || 7 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 0 || 0 ! 11 !! 0 !! 0 |-style="text-align: center;" |2021 |0 || 0 || 0 || 8 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 0 || 0 ! 12 !! 0 !! 0 |- align="center" style="background:#DDDDDD; color:#000000" ! colspan="2" |'''Total''' !166 !! 7 !! 11 !! 43 !! 0 !! 0 !! 74 !! 0 !! 2 !! 283 !! 8 !! 13 |-style="text-align: center;" |-align="center" style="background:#DDDDDD; color:#000000" !colspan="3"|'''River total''' !221 !! 9 !! 17 !! 43 !! 0 !! 1 !! 90 !! 1 !! 2 !! 354 !! 10 !! 17 |- style="color: white;" align="center" bgcolor="000000" !colspan="3" | Career total !525 !! 29 !! 31 !! 67 !! 0 !! 1 !! 96 !! 1 !! 2 !! 690 !! 30 !! 34 |- |} <div class="center"> <span id="1"></span><sup>'''(1)''' </sup><small>National Cup refers to Copa Argentina, Copa del Rey, Supercopa Argentina, Copa Superliga and Copa Diego Armando Maradona.</small>
<span id="2"></span><sup>'''(2)''' </sup><small>Continental refers to UEFA Europa League, Copa Libertadores, Copa Sudamericana, Recopa Sudamericana, FIFA Club World Cup and Suruga Bank Championship.</small> </div>
==Honours== '''Zaragoza''' *Copa del Rey: 2003–04<ref>{{cite web|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/europe/3516028.stm|title=Beckham misses out on Cup|publisher=BBC Sport|date=17 March 2004|access-date=21 May 2014}}</ref>
'''River Plate''' *Argentine Primera División: Clausura 2008, Torneo Final 2014, Superfinal 2014, Campeonato 2021<ref name=TT>{{cite news|url=https://www.ole.com.ar/equipos/river-plate/ponzio-river-supercopa-superclasico-torneos-copas-astrada_0_SJQMngutG.html|title=Un equipo de títulos|trans-title=A team of titles|newspaper=Olé|language=Spanish|date=15 March 2018|accessdate=11 December 2018}}</ref> *Copa Argentina: 2015–16, 2016–17, 2018–19<ref name=TT/> *Supercopa Argentina: 2017, 2019<ref name=TT/> *Copa Libertadores: 2015, 2018<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46500549|title=Copa Libertadores final: River Plate beat Boca Juniors 3–1 in extra time (agg 5–3)|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Sanders|first=Emma|date=9 December 2018|accessdate=11 December 2018}}</ref><ref name=TT/> *Copa Sudamericana: 2014<ref name=TT/> *Recopa Sudamericana: 2015, 2016, 2019<ref name=TT/> *Suruga Bank Championship: 2015<ref name=TT/> *Primera B Nacional: 2011–12<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.lanueva.com/nota/2012-6-23-16-55-0-nacional-b-river-es-campeon-y-volvio-a-primera|title=Nacional "B": River es campeón y volvió a Primera|trans-title=Nacional "B": River are champions and returned to ''Primera''|newspaper=La Nueva Provincia|language=Spanish|date=23 June 2012|accessdate=11 December 2018}}</ref>
'''Argentina U20''' *FIFA U-20 World Cup: 2001<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.elgrafico.com.ar/2014/12/05/C-5849-argentina-campeon-sub-20-2001.php|title=Argentina campeón Sub-20 2001|trans-title=Argentina Under-20 champions 2001|newspaper=El Gráfico|language=Spanish|date=5 December 2014|accessdate=11 December 2018}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{BDFA|id=403}} *{{BDFutbol|1745}} *{{NFT player|id=330}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ponzio, Leonardo}} Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:People from Belgrano Department, Santa Fe Category:Argentine people of Italian descent Category:Sportspeople of Italian descent Category:21st-century Argentine sportsmen Category:Argentine men's footballers Category:Footballers from Santa Fe Province Category:Men's association football midfielders Category:Men's association football utility players Category:Argentine Primera División players Category:Primera Nacional players Category:Newell's Old Boys footballers Category:Club Atlético River Plate footballers Category:La Liga players Category:Segunda División players Category:Real Zaragoza players Category:Copa Libertadores–winning players Category:Argentina men's youth international footballers Category:Argentina men's under-20 international footballers Category:Argentina men's international footballers Category:Argentine expatriate men's footballers Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain Category:Argentine expatriate sportspeople in Spain