NASHVILLE, TN – Nashville SC announced Friday that they have signed Costa Rican international Randall Leal to a Major League Soccer contract, pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P-1 Visa.
Leal, a 22-year-old attacking midfielder, will remain with Deportivo Saprissa until he joins Nashville in January 2020. Leal will occupy a Young Designated Player spot on Nashville's 2020 roster.
“Randall is an exciting young attacking midfielder with bags of potential,” said Nashville SC General Manager Mike Jacobs. “He has the ability to influence matches in a variety of ways and has demonstrated that caliber on both the domestic and international stage.”
Leal is an attacking midfielder, who can play on either wing as well as in a more central role. He made his professional debut in 2013 at just 16 years old, playing for Belén F.C. in Costa Rica’s First Division. In 2015, Leal joined KV Mechelen in the Belgian First Division, making 19 appearances. Leal moved back to Costa Rica in 2018, where he has made 38 appearances for powerhouse Saprissa, scoring six goals and contributing six assists.
Leal broke into Costa Rica’s senior national team in 2018, earning six caps and making three appearances in their run to the quarterfinals of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Leal is currently with the Costa Rican side in the international window, where they’ll face Uruguay on September 6 at 9PM CST.
“I am very excited and honored to join Nashville SC, and I cannot wait to get there and start working hard for the club,” said Leal. “I want to make a difference on and off the field as I continue to hopefully grow both as a player and as a person, and Nashville offers the level of ambition and eagerness to do things right that will allow me to accomplish both goals.”
Leal is the seventh player signed to Nashville SC’s MLS roster, joining Hany Mukhtar, Aníbal Godoy, David Accam, Derrick Jones, Daniel Ríos and Cameron Lancaster for Nashville’s debut season in 2020.
Randall Leal
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5-7
Weight: 145
Birthdate: Jan. 14, 1997
Age: 22
Birthplace: San José, Costa Rica
Hometown: San José, Costa Rica
Nationality: Costa Rican
Last club: Deportivo Saprissa
How Acquired: Signed by Nashville SC from Deportivo Saprissa on Sep. 06, 2019
