Léo Scienza is experiencing a moment of rise in English football. The 27-year-old attacking midfielder from Rio Grande do Sul established himself as an important player for Southampton in the second division. With seven goals and ten assists, he helps the team in the fight for a return to the Premier League.
The player gave an interview to ge.globo on the eve of the duel against Manchester City in the FA Cup semifinal. Ele detailed the path of overcoming that took him from the lowlands in Rio Grande of Sul to the radar of big English clubs.
Recusas on Gre-Nal marked the beginning of their career
Natural of Venâncio Aires, Léo Scienza prioritized futsal at the base. Ele toured small clubs in the region before testing Grêmio and Inter.
The athlete reported that he did not encounter any technical problems in training. Ainda thus did not advance. Ele attributes part of the refusals to lack of indication and physical appearance.
— Eu I tested on Grêmio and Inter, for example. Treinava well, he played well. Pode wasn’t enough, but on these teams, when you try out without having played somewhere before, there’s a lot of politics. “Ah, you’re very small, you’re very skinny” — he explained.
The gaucho also faced difficult personal moments. Perdeu’s father and dealt with depression. Esses obstacles delayed development in field football.
Jornada on Europa started in the Swedish fifth division
In 2019, Léo Scienza joined Suécia looking for an opportunity. Empresários offered tests, but he ended up in the fifth division. Sem fixed salary, trained only twice a week. Nos other days, I ran outside to keep in shape.
The phase served as a school of resilience. In 2020, a video of him reached Schalke 04 scouts. The German club was impressed with his quality and questioned how he was at such a low level.
The Brazilian played for the Schalke under-23 team. Depois, ran by Magdeburg and SSV Ulm. No Heidenheim, he scored a goal in stoppage time that guaranteed his stay in Bundesliga.
Transferência to Southampton in 2025
In September 2025, Southampton paid 9 million euros, around R$52 million, to take Léo Scienza away from Heidenheim. The contract runs until June 2029.
The physical style of English football presents a challenge for the 1.75m, 63kg player. Ele compensates with technique, dribbling and ball control. The attacking midfielder highlights the adaptability built in the lower leagues.
— Because I started so late and had the experiences I had in the Brasil, in the Suécia and in all the Alemanha leagues, I ended up becoming a person who adapts easily. Falo five different languages — he said.
Ele learned the languages on his own, without formal lessons.
- Sete goals scored at Championship
- Dez assists this season
- 35 games played so far
- Participação in 28 starts
- Contribuição for the access campaign
Interesse from Premier League clubs
Clubes as Tottenham, Aston Villa, Fulham, Everton and Leeds United monitor the performance of Léo Scienza. Southampton could lose the player if he doesn’t gain access to the elite.
The gaucho prioritized the Saints project when signing. Ele declined early split proposals from Espanha, Itália, and França. The main objective is to return the club to Premier League.
Faltando two rounds behind Championship, Southampton occupies fourth place. The first two go straight up. Do third to sixth place, compete for playoffs for two more spots.
Preparação to duel against Manchester City
Southampton faces Manchester City this Saturday in the Cup FA semifinal. The game takes place in Wembley. Léo Scienza arrives at the clash as one of the team’s highlights.
Ele has already experienced remarkable moments in his career. The saving goal for Heidenheim became a tattoo in the German club’s wardrobe. Agora, the focus is on the final stretch of the season.
The attacking midfielder values small achievements. Da absence of salary at Suécia until the peak at Inglaterra, the trajectory reinforces persistence.