Leandro Bacuna
Curaçaoan footballer (born 1991)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Leandro Jones Johan Bacuna (born 21 August 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder or right-back for TFF First League club Iğdır FK.[3] Born in the Netherlands, he represents the Curaçao national team. He is their joint most-capped player along with Eloy Room.
|
Bacuna playing for Aston Villa in 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Leandro Jones Johan Bacuna[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 21 August 1991[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Groningen, Netherlands | ||
| Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[2] | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Iğdır FK | ||
| Number | 7 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2002–2009 | Groningen | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2009–2013 | Groningen | 109 | (14) |
| 2013–2017 | Aston Villa | 116 | (7) |
| 2017–2019 | Reading | 59 | (4) |
| 2019–2022 | Cardiff City | 111 | (4) |
| 2022–2023 | Watford | 14 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Groningen | 64 | (5) |
| 2025 | Bandırmaspor | 19 | (6) |
| 2026– | Iğdır FK | 14 | (1) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2007–2008 | Netherlands Antilles U20 | 5 | (3) |
| 2009–2010 | Netherlands U19 | 10 | (1) |
| 2011–2013 | Netherlands U21 | 10 | (1) |
| 2016– | Curaçao | 72 | (16) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:08, 2 May 2026 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals as of 6 June 2026 (UTC) | |||
Club career
Groningen
On 30 October 2009, Bacuna made his first team debut for Groningen in an Eredivisie match against PSV.[4] Bacuna has also played for Groningen's youth teams. On 6 November 2009, he scored his first goal for the first team in a league match against Heracles Almelo, an eventual 4–1 victory for Groningen.[5]
Aston Villa
It was announced on 13 June 2013 that Bacuna had signed a three-year contract with Premier League club Aston Villa. Handed the number 7 shirt, Bacuna impressed many with his debut season for the Villains, despite constantly playing out of position at right back.[6][7] Bacuna scored his first Premier League goal on 28 September at home against Manchester City. His second goal came from a free-kick in the claret and blues' 2–0 victory over Cardiff City. He continued his goalscoring run with goals against West Bromwich Albion, Everton and Norwich. [citation needed]
In the 2014–15 season, Bacuna found it harder to break into the starting line-up, starting just one game in the Premier League. On 15 February 2015, he scored the first of two Villa goals in the fifth round of the FA Cup in a 2–1 win over Leicester City, taking the club into the quarter-finals.[citation needed]
On 20 August 2015, Bacuna signed a new long-term contract with the club.[8]
Reading
On 13 August 2017, Bacuna moved to Reading, signing a four-year contract.[9] He scored his first goal for Reading in an EFL Cup tie against Millwall on 22 August 2017.[10]
Cardiff City
On 31 January 2019, Bacuna moved to Premier League side Cardiff City, signing a four-and-a-half-year deal for a transfer fee believed to be around £3 million.[11][12] On 10 June 2022, Cardiff announced Bacuna would leave the club when his contract expired on 30 June.[13]
Watford
On 14 December 2022, Bacuna signed for Championship club Watford on a contract until the end of the 2022–23 season.[14]
Iğdır FK
On 6 January 2026, he was transferred to Iğdır FK, signing a one and half year contract.[15]
International career
Born in the Netherlands to parents of Afro-Curaçaoan descent, Bacuna played for the Netherlands Antilles under-20 side, as well as various youth Dutch teams. He received his first Curaçao national team call-up in March 2016,[16] earning his first cap in a 1–0 loss to Barbados.[17]
Personal life
He is the older brother of fellow professional football player Juninho Bacuna.[18]
Career statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Other | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Groningen | 2009–10 | Eredivisie | 20 | 2 | 2 | 1 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 24 | 3 | |
| 2010–11 | Eredivisie | 24 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 4[a] | 2 | 31 | 2 | ||
| 2011–12 | Eredivisie | 32 | 7 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 33 | 7 | ||
| 2012–13 | Eredivisie | 33 | 5 | 3 | 0 | — | 2[a] | 0 | 38 | 5 | ||
| Total | 109 | 14 | 9 | 1 | — | 7 | 2 | 125 | 17 | |||
| Aston Villa | 2013–14[21] | Premier League | 35 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 38 | 5 | |
| 2014–15[22] | Premier League | 19 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 24 | 1 | ||
| 2015–16[23] | Premier League | 31 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 35 | 1 | ||
| 2016–17[24] | Championship | 30 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 31 | 1 | ||
| 2017–18[25] | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 116 | 7 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 129 | 8 | ||
| Reading | 2017–18[25] | Championship | 33 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | 38 | 2 | |
| 2018–19[26] | Championship | 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | — | 28 | 3 | ||
| Total | 60 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 1 | — | 66 | 5 | |||
| Cardiff City | 2018–19[26] | Premier League | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 11 | 0 | |
| 2019–20[27] | Championship | 41 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | 45 | 1 | |
| 2020–21[28] | Championship | 41 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 43 | 2 | ||
| 2021–22[29] | Championship | 15 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 1 | ||
| Total | 109 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 114 | 4 | ||
| Watford | 2022–23[30] | Championship | 14 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 15 | 0 | |
| Groningen | 2023–24 | Eerste Divisie | 33 | 1 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 38 | 1 | ||
| 2024–25 | Eredivisie | 31 | 4 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 33 | 5 | |||
| Total | 64 | 5 | 7 | 1 | — | — | 71 | 6 | ||||
| Bandırmaspor | 2025–26 | TFF First League | 19 | 6 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 6 | ||
| Iğdır FK | 2025–26 | TFF First League | 16 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 19 | 3 | ||
| Career total | 507 | 43 | 37 | 7 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 558 | 49 | ||
- Appearance(s) in Eredivisie play-offs
- Appearance(s) in Championship play-offs
International
- As of match played 6 June 2026[31]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Curaçao | 2016 | 6 | 4 |
| 2017 | 9 | 1 | |
| 2018 | 5 | 4 | |
| 2019 | 11 | 2 | |
| 2021 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2022 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2025 | 11 | 1 | |
| 2026 | 3 | 0 | |
| Total | 72 | 16 | |
- As of match played 13 November 2025. Curaçao score listed first, score column indicates score after each Bacuna goal.[31]
