Luís Leal

Portugal

Born in Arrentela, Setúbal District in Portugal, Leal joined Sporting CP's youth system at the age of 11, moving after four years to C.D. Cova da Piedade. He made his senior debut with the latter, playing a couple of seasons in the fourth division. Leal then had two solid campaigns in the third tier, one apiece with Atlético Clube de Portugal and Moreirense FC, continuing his professional progression in summer 2010 by signing with G.D. Estoril Praia in the Segunda Liga. He made his debut in the Primeira Liga in the 2011–12 campaign with U.D. Leiria, appearing in his first game in the competition on 15 August 2011 against Académica de Coimbra (17 minutes played, 1–2 home loss). In 2012, after Leiria's relegation – and further demotion to division three due to irregularities – Leal returned to Estoril, with the team now in the top flight. He started the season in impressive fashion, scoring a hat-trick in a 3–1 home win over C.S. Marítimo and one goal in a 2–2 draw at former club Sporting.

Abroad

On 18 June 2015, after brief spells at Al Ahli Saudi FC, Al-Ittihad Kalba SC and Gaziantepspor, Leal signed a two-year contract with Cypriot First Division club APOEL FC. He made his debut on 14 July, in a 0–0 home draw against FK Vardar in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League. Leal scored his first two goals for APOEL on 22 August 2015, in a 5–1 away victory over Ermis Aradippou FC. Eight days later, however, after underperforming in the…

Born in Portugal, Leal expressed his desire to represent his parents' homeland of São Tomé and Príncipe internationally. He made his debut on 16 June 2012 in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualification match against Sierra Leone, and scored his first goal on 13 June 2015 in the 7–1 defeat in Cape Verde for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. In October 2019, Leal scored three of São Tomé and Príncipe's goals in a 5–2 aggregate win over Mauritius to reach the group stage of qualification for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. On 24 March 2022, he scored the only goal in the 1–0 victory against the same team in the preliminary round of qualification for the 2023 CAN, and also found the net in the return leg five days later, a 3–3 draw; he was subsequently found to have been ineligible for the first of these matches due to breaching COVID-19 rules, and Mauritius were awarded a 3–0 win, only for São Tomé to be later reinstated.

Club

As of 2 May 2025

International

As of match played 9 June 2024

As of 22 March 2024. São Tomé and Príncipe score listed first, score column indicates score after each Leal goal.