Wilfredo León Venero

Wilfredo León is a professional volleyball player with Polish nationality who plays as a receiver/attacker for the Polish national team and for Motilla voley. The Cuban is probably the best volleyball player on the planet.

His mother Alina Venero Boza was a volleyball athlete. Due to his physical conditions, she put him in contact with professor José Pullú, who coached a women's team, with which Wilfredo took his first steps in volleyball. At seven years old, professor Pullú handed him over to coach Alberto Gorguet, who continued with Wilfredo's training.

At the I ALBA Sports Games in Venezuela, he won a gold medal and was selected as the Most Outstanding Player of the Event. At 13 years old he joins the National Cadets Team and participates in the World Championship held in 2007, where he achieves a notable performance on the individual level.

Grown in the Cuban Capitalinos where he wins two championships, in 2010 he joins the Orientales de Santiago adding his third national title. In May 2011 he is named captain of the Cuban volleyball team replacing his teammate Roberlandy Simón. In recognition of his sports career during 2012 he was chosen by the Circle of Sports Journalists of Cuba as the best athlete of the year in team sports. He was a precocious talent, making his debut with the Cuban national team at only 14 years old.

In April 2013 he was sanctioned by the Cuban Volleyball Federation for requesting his release from the Cuban national team, which the federation considered serious indiscipline.

In 2014 he signs with Russian Zenit Kazán where he becomes one of the best players in the world, winning the Russian championship four times, 4 Russian cups, 4 Champions League titles (also being named best player of the competition in 2014/15 and 2015/16) and the 2017 FIVB World Club Championship.

In summer 2018 his transfer to Sir Safety Perugia becomes official. In his first season with the Umbrian team he wins the Italian Cup and sets the new record for aces in a Regular Season in the history of Italian championship with 94.

León has been international with Cuba's national team between 2008 and 2013, winning two North American championships (2009 and 2011), runner-up at the 2010 Italy World Championship and bronze medal at the 2012 World League. After leaving Cuba in 2013 heading to Russia, he is kept away from the national team.

In 2015 he received Polish nationality and made his debut with his new country in 2019, winning bronze at the CEV European Championship and finishing second in the FIVB World Cup. As of June 24, 2019, León can be called up by the Polish national team, his wife's country. He makes his debut with the white-reds at the European championship in France, Slovenia, Belgium and the Netherlands 2019, finishing the competition in third place after defeating France in the bronze final. The following month he also takes the silver medal at the World Cup.

Trophy Cabinet
Clubs
Cuban Championship (3): 2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11
Russian Championship (4): 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17, 2017-18
Russian Cup (4): 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017
Champions League (4): 2011-12, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17
FIVB World Club Championship (1): 2017
Italian Cup (1): 2018/19
Italian Supercup (1): 2019

The outside hitter for Sir Safety Perugia and Poland has been compared to Cristiano Ronaldo, which gives him a superstar status in the sport, a tremendous honor.

León measures 2.03 m and, thanks to his powerful vertical jump and impressive efficiency in attacking, he can be devastating for his opponents.

'The Lion King' became the youngest captain of the combined team at 17 years old and won a silver medal at the World Championships in Italy alongside other talented players, such as Yoandi Leal and Robertlandy Simón, who became known as the 'Generation of Miracles'.

León has expressed Cuba is where I grew up, I have many friends there, my family... It's where I've developed as a man and as a player and it will always have a place in my heart.

Italy is the place where I work and I try to give my best to make my followers happy. Poland is my present and my future. Everything I do right now is for this country.