From sharing a dressing room with a teenage Kylian Mbappé at AS Monaco to becoming one of the Ekstraklasa's most recognizable strikers, Leonardo Rocha has experienced a football journey unlike most. In an exclusive interview with beIN SPORTS USA, the former Radomiak Radom, Raków Częstochowa and Zagłębie Lubin forward opens up about Mbappé's rise to stardom, working under Marek Papszun, the friendships that shaped his career, why Poland became the most important chapter of his life, and what convinced him to continue his journey in Japan. 

Interview by Daniel Sobis.

Daniel Sobis:
Leo, I'd like to start from the beginning of your career. Before making a name for yourself in Poland, you spent time at AS Monaco's academy, where you shared the dressing room with a young Kylian Mbappé. Today, the whole world knows who he is, but you met him long before he became a global superstar. Do you remember any stories that already showed he was destined for greatness?

Leonardo Rocha:
Absolutely. One story always comes to mind. Kylian was around 15 or 16 years old when the coaches decided to move him up and train with the older players. It wasn't because he had earned a promotion yet—it was actually meant to be a challenge after he had done something a bit childish. The idea was to make training more difficult for him. The problem was that he made it look easy. He would dribble past everyone. We were 18 and 19 years old, and this kid was making us look ordinary. Everyone watching training kept asking the same question: "How can someone this young dominate players who are three or four years older?" Even then, it was obvious he was different.

Daniel Sobis:
Was there already a sense that he knew how special he was?

Leonardo Rocha:
Definitely. He had unbelievable confidence, but it never came across as arrogance. He truly believed he was going to play for the first team. I remember he'd walk around carrying his training bag and joking with us: "Get ready. I'll be joining you soon." We all laughed because that's what young players usually say. The difference was that, in his case, it actually happened. Within a year, maybe a year and a half, he was already playing for Monaco's first team.

Daniel Sobis:
So he already had that mentality before making his professional debut?

Leonardo Rocha:
Yes. He already felt important because he had been playing for France's youth national teams and was one of Monaco's brightest academy prospects. Of course, many talented players come through Monaco every year. Plenty of them are considered future stars. But the difference with Kylian was what happened after he reached the first team. Success never changed him. He didn't become complacent. His mentality was always: "I'm good, and now I'm going to prove it." Once he started playing regularly, nobody could stop him.

Daniel Sobis:
Would you say Mbappé is the best footballer you've ever played with?

Leonardo Rocha:
If we're talking about complete players and pure football ability, maybe not. I've played with incredibly talented footballers. There was one Brazilian player in Spain, William de Camargo, whose technical ability was unbelievable. In training he would do things that reminded people of Ronaldinho. Defenders simply couldn't stop him. Unfortunately, injuries prevented him from having the career everyone expected. But Kylian had something even more valuable. He scored goals effortlessly. I remember at Under-19 level he scored ten goals in his first five league matches. That's when everyone realized he wasn't just technically gifted—he had an incredible instinct for scoring. That's what separates great players from world-class players.

Daniel Sobis:
Later in your career you moved to Belgium, where you worked under Spanish coach Beñat San José, who is Rayp Vallecano manager now. Looking back now, how important was that experience for your development?

Leonardo Rocha:
To be honest, it was probably the most difficult period of my career. When I joined Eupen, I was only 21 years old and had just finished as one of the top scorers in Belgium's second division. I had offers from bigger clubs, but Beñat personally convinced me to sign. He told me I would be his starting striker. After only six matches, everything changed. I started just once, came off the bench in the other games, and then he called me into his office. He looked at me and said: "You're not going to play anymore. We're bringing in another striker." That was after only six league matches. For months I wasn't even included in the squad. Then I suffered a knee injury, lost almost an entire season, and eventually had to leave the club. It was an incredibly frustrating experience.

Daniel Sobis:
Eventually you found your way to Poland. Looking back today, what did moving to the Ekstraklasa mean for your career?

Leonardo Rocha:
Without any doubt, Poland changed my life. Not only professionally, but personally as well.

My daughter spent her first years growing up there. I made friendships that still exist today. I speak with people from Poland almost every day. When I first arrived, I honestly didn't know what to expect.

Outside Poland, people don't really understand the country. They ask: "What's football like there? What's the country like?" Now I always tell them the same thing: "Go there, and you'll understand." I fell in love with Poland. The football, the people, the clubs, the culture... If I could go back and make that decision again, I would choose Poland every single time because it became the best decision of my career.

Daniel Sobis:
Many Radomiak supporters still believe they saw the best version of Leonardo Rocha in Radom. Looking back, what allowed you to perform at such a high level there?

Leonardo Rocha:
For me, it's actually very simple. Whenever I played consistently, I scored goals. Throughout my career in Poland, my performances always depended on one thing—playing regularly. Before my meniscus injury at Radomiak, I had scored six goals in twelve league matches and was starting every game. Then I got injured, Pedro Henrique arrived, and after recovering I spent months on the bench. The following season I became a regular starter again, played almost every match, and finished with eleven league goals. Then I moved to Raków. Again, I wasn't playing consistently. Sometimes I came on for five minutes, sometimes ten, maybe fifteen. It's difficult for any striker to make an impact under those circumstances. Later I joined Zagłębie Lubin, became a starter once again, and immediately started scoring. Football isn't always complicated. A striker needs rhythm, confidence and minutes on the pitch. I honestly believe Polish football never saw the very best version of Leonardo Rocha because I was rarely given an entire season as the undisputed number nine. If you trust me and let me play, I'll score goals. If you expect me to change a game every weekend after coming on for five or ten minutes, that's a much more difficult task.

Daniel Sobis:
During your time at Radomiak you also played alongside Luka Vušković, who has since earned a move to Tottenham Hotspur. When you first saw him, did you immediately recognize his potential?

Leonardo Rocha:
Yes. What impressed me first wasn't even his technical quality—it was his personality. He was only sixteen, but physically he already looked like a grown man. Strong, mature, fearless. He wanted to take free-kicks, penalties... everything. We used to laugh and tell him, "Relax, you're still just a kid." But that's exactly what made him special. He wasn't afraid of responsibility. As a centre-back, he also struck the ball like a striker, which is very unusual. You could already see why he would become such a threat from set pieces. If injuries stay away, I have no doubt he'll enjoy a fantastic career.

Daniel Sobis:
You've worked under several respected coaches in Poland—Dariusz Banasik, Mariusz Lewandowski, Constantin Gâlcă, Marek Papszun and Leszek Ojrzyński, among others. Which coach changed your understanding of football the most?

Leonardo Rocha:
Without question, Marek Papszun. People usually focus on the fact that I didn't play much at Raków, and that's true. That was his decision. But tactically, I learned more under Marek than at any other stage of my career.

He's obsessed with football. He studies every detail, every movement, every defensive principle. Before working with him, I mainly thought about attacking. At Raków I learned how important pressing is, positioning, defending from the front and understanding every phase of the game. Those six or seven months helped me enormously. Ironically, many of the things I learned under Marek made me a better player later at Zagłębie Lubin. So although I wasn't happy with my playing time, I still appreciate everything I learned there. Every coach teaches you something. Some teach you more than others, but there's always something positive to take away.

Daniel Sobis:
Ironically, after leaving Raków you enjoyed one of your best spells under Leszek Ojrzyński at Zagłębie Lubin. What made that partnership work so well?

Leonardo Rocha:
Trust. That's the biggest word. From the first conversation we had, coach Ojrzyński looked me in the eyes and said: "You're my striker. You're going to start. Just work hard and do your job." That confidence changes everything for a striker. We also developed a very good relationship away from football. Even today we still exchange messages. I have enormous respect for him because he believed in me immediately. Of course, our style of play suited me as well. With players like Kajetan Szmyt, Adam Radwański and Marcel Reguła creating chances, I knew opportunities would come. I've always been a striker who finishes moves. Give me service, and I'll score goals. At Zagłębie everything clicked. The team was fighting to avoid relegation, but we played with courage, created chances and trusted each other. For me personally, it was probably my happiest football experience in Poland.

Daniel Sobis:
You mentioned Marcel Reguła. Do you believe he has the talent to reach one of Europe's top five leagues?

Leonardo Rocha:
Absolutely. He has exceptional quality. But talent alone isn't enough. Now comes the most important decision of his career. When I was twenty-one, I made a transfer that, looking back, wasn't the right one for my development. I suffered because I wasn't playing. Marcel now has to choose very carefully. My advice would be to join a club where he'll play every week. At his age, regular football is much more important than money.

If he keeps developing through matches, the bigger opportunities will come naturally.

Daniel Sobis:
Would you recommend a direct move to one of Europe's biggest leagues, or would a stepping stone be the better option?

Leonardo Rocha:
I'd choose a transition league. Belgium. The Netherlands. Maybe Portugal. A club that dominates possession and allows attacking players to express themselves. If you join a struggling Serie A or Bundesliga team too early, you'll spend most matches defending. That's much harder for an attacking midfielder. At a club like Genk, Club Brugge or PSV, he'd touch the ball much more, play with confidence and continue developing his strengths. For me, that's the smartest path.

Daniel Sobis:
You had a brief spell under Lukasz Tomczyk after Marek Papszun's departure at Raków. From your perspective, was he given enough time to implement his ideas?

Leonardo Rocha:
That's a difficult question because football is always judged by results. But I'll say this: replacing someone like Marek Papszun is one of the hardest jobs in Polish football. Sometimes coaches arrive at a club and try to continue what the previous manager built. The problem is that you can't replace Marek by trying to be another Marek. Every coach needs his own philosophy, his own ideas, his own methods. When one era ends, another has to begin. Whether he had enough time or not is impossible for me to judge. The reality is that coaches are evaluated on results. Raków reached the Polish Cup final but lost it, and they also failed to finish where the club expected in the league. At clubs with high ambitions, that's often enough for management to make a change. That's simply the life of a football coach.

Daniel Sobis:
You spent almost four years in the Ekstraklasa. Looking back, who was the toughest defender you faced?

Leonardo Rocha:
That's a good question. I have to admit there were matches where I barely touched the ball because the defending was so good. If I had to choose, I'd probably mention the Raków centre-backs. Matej Rodin was always very difficult to play against, and Zoran Arsenić as well. They were aggressive, intelligent and incredibly well organised. Raków defended as a unit, which made life very difficult for any striker. Whenever I played against them, I knew I'd have to fight for every single ball.

Daniel Sobis:
If you had to name a few young players from the Ekstraklasa who have everything it takes to succeed in Europe's top leagues, who would they be?

Leonardo Rocha:
The first name that comes to mind is Wojciech Monka from Lech Poznań. I really like him. As I mentioned before, I also believe Marcel Reguła has enormous potential if he makes the right career decisions. There are many talented young players in Poland, but talent is only the beginning. Choosing the right club at the right moment is often more important than ability itself. I've experienced that personally.

Daniel Sobis:
You developed a very close friendship with Ivi López during your time at Raków. How would you describe him, both as a player and as a person?

Leonardo Rocha:
Ivi is like family to me. We still talk almost every day. People know what an incredible footballer he is, but what they don't always see is the person behind the player. Before I even signed for Raków, he sent me a message on Instagram encouraging me to join the club. Once I arrived, we became inseparable. Our wives became close friends, our families spent time together constantly, and we lived only a couple of minutes away from each other. Whether we were having dinner, drinking coffee or simply talking after training, we were together almost every day. That's why I was genuinely surprised when he left Poland. Players with his quality don't come around very often. I honestly thought another Polish club would do everything possible to keep him in the Ekstraklasa. Unfortunately, football doesn't always work that way.

Daniel Sobis:
Despite interest from clubs in Poland, you decided to continue your career in Japan with JEF United Chiba. Why was that the right move for you?

Leonardo Rocha:
There was interest from Poland, but it wasn't that simple. Raków had invested money in signing me, so any transfer had to meet the club's expectations financially. JEF United Chiba was the club that managed to make it happen. But there was another reason. I'd always wanted to experience football in Asia. Everyone who had played there told me the same thing: "You'll love it." So when the opportunity to move to Japan appeared, my wife and I talked about it for a long time. In the end, we felt it was the right moment for a new challenge. To be honest, after several years in Poland, I also needed a fresh start. I had experienced the same pattern more than once—scoring goals, earning a move to a bigger club, and then struggling for playing time. I wanted something different. Japan offered exactly that.

Daniel Sobis:
How have your first weeks in Japan been?

Leonardo Rocha:
Fantastic. Everything here is different, but in the best possible way. The organisation, the respect people show each other, the professionalism... You feel it every single day. Football is hugely popular here. The stadiums are full, supporters are passionate, and the intensity of the game is extremely high. The biggest difference is the pace. In Japan you don't have time to think. Everything happens much faster than in many European leagues, so adapting takes time. But I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Daniel Sobis:
One last question. If you could play one final match in the Ekstraklasa, wearing the shirt of just one Polish club, which would it be—Radomiak Radom, Raków Częstochowa or Zagłębie Lubin?

Leonardo Rocha:
That's probably the hardest question you've asked. Emotionally, Radomiak will always have a special place in my heart. I spent two wonderful years there. I scored important goals, created unforgettable memories and built incredible relationships with the supporters. The only thing that still hurts is the way my time there ended. I wish I could have said goodbye differently. At the same time, I also have great memories of Zagłębie Lubin. When I arrived there, I immediately felt trusted. I wanted to stay longer because I truly believed we were building something special together. Unfortunately, football is full of decisions that players can't control. That's life. But if one day the opportunity came to return to Poland, I would never close that door. Poland gave me some of the best years of my career and my personal life. I'll always be grateful for that. But to answer your question, if I had to choose one shirt to play my final match in, it would be Zagłębie’s.

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