Sockers Sign Defender Marcio Leite for 2021 Season

SAN DIEGO, CA—The San Diego Sockers today announced the signing of veteran defender Marcio Leite to a MASL contract for the upcoming 2021 season. As per league and club policy, no further contract details will be revealed. Leite will report to the Sockers for the opening of training camp in January. 

“Marcio has been one of the best players in our sport for years, and he is still one of the most dangerous to defend one-on-one in the league,” said Sockers general manager Sean Bowers, “With Leite’s championship experience and leadership in the back, we are looking to take the next step forward to bring the Ron Newman Cup back to San Diego.”

Leite, 36, is a three-time champion with the Milwaukee Wave, winning MISL titles in 2011 and 2012, and the MASL Ron Newman Cup in 2019. In the 2019-20 season, Leite earned First Team All-MASL honors, contributing eight goals and eighteen assists in 16 games (8-18=26 points) as the Wave went 14-6 before the suspension of play due to the COVID pandemic. In his career, Leite has featured 221 times for the Wave, scoring 162 goals with 206 assists (162-206=368 points), an average of 1.66 points per game. 

“I’m humbled to be given the opportunity to continue my career with another legacy franchise such as the San Diego Sockers,” said Leite of his signing.

Leite has garnered multiple honors during his career, starting with being named to the All-MISL Rookie Team in 2006, Second Team All-MISL in 2006-07, Team MVP in 2007-08, and Second Team All-MISL in 2011-12, a year in which he finished third in league MVP voting. Marcio has earned all-MASL Honorable Mention honors in 2014-15, Second Team All-MASL in 2016-17, and First Team All-MISL in 2019-20. A player who performs at his highest level in the biggest matches, Leite was named the MISL Playoff MVP in 2012, and the MASL Playoff MVP in 2019.  

Leite’s playing career began in his native Brazil as a professional futsal player, where he earned Rookie, All-State and U-20 League MVP honors in Sergipe. Signing with Brazil’s top pro futsal side in 2005 (Malwee/Jaragua do Sol), helped lift three Cups, winning National championships in 2005 and 2006, and the Libertadores Cup in 2006. 

The San Diego Sockers will compete as a road-only club in the MASL 2021 season, with the first two matches scheduled for January 29 (at Kansas City) and January 31 (at Dallas). The league is utilizing a pay-per-view platform via Facebook and Facebook Watch for all regular season and postseason contests. Find out more at the Major Arena Soccer League Facebook page.