Hugo Eduardo de León Rodríguez (born 27 February 1958) is a Uruguayan football coach and former player, who played as a defender.

Hugo de León
Hugo de León in 2019
Personal information
Full name Hugo Eduardo de León Rodríguez
Date of birth (1958-02-27) 27 February 1958 (age 66)
Place of birth Rivera, Uruguay
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 1+12 in)
Position(s) Defender
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1977–1980 Nacional
1981–1984 Grêmio 83 (2)
1984–1985 Corinthians 24 (0)
1986–1987 Santos
1987–1988 Logroñés 16 (0)
1988–1989 Nacional
1989–1990 River Plate 12 (0)
1991 Botafogo 12 (0)
1991–1992 Toshiba SC
1992–1993 Nacional
International career
1979–1990 Uruguay 48 (0)
Managerial career
1996 Ituano
1997 Fluminense
1998–2001 Nacional
2003 Monterrey
2004 Nacional
2004 Monterrey
2005 Grêmio
Medal record
Representing  Uruguay
Copa América
Runner-up 1989 Brazil
1980 Mundialito
Winner 1980 Uruguay
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

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De León joined Nacional in 1977. With Nacional, he won two Uruguayan league titles, in 1977 and 1980, and the Copa Libertadores in 1980. In 1981, he left Nacional to play for Gremio missing the final game of the 1980 Intercontinental Cup which Nacional would subsequently win. With Gremio he won the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup in 1983. After spells in Brazil and Spain he returned to Nacional in 1988, to win the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in that year, and the Copa Interamericana and Recopa Sudamericana in 1989. At the end of the year, he left Nacional to play for River Plate of Argentina, where he won the 1989/1990 league title. He returned to Nacional in 1992 and won his third Uruguayan league title as a player. He retired in 1993.

International career

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The 189 cm defender was capped 48 times for Uruguay between July 1979 and June 1990, including four games at the 1990 World Cup. De León helped the Uruguay national team win the 1980 Mundialito, a tournament celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first World Cup. De Leon also led Uruguay to a 2nd place finish at the 1989 Copa America hosted in Brazil.

Coaching career

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As a coach, De León was in charge of several clubs in Uruguay, Brazil and México, including Nacional, Gremio and Monterrey. As coach of Nacional, they won the Uruguayan league titles of 1998, 2000 and 2001.

Because of a conflict with the Uruguayan coaches' association, who does not validate the coach course he took in Brazil, De León has not worked in Uruguay since 2004.

Political career

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De León was a candidate for Vice President of Uruguay, alongside Pedro Bordaberry, in the 2009 Uruguayan general election.[1][2]

References

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