Leonardo Campana confident Inter Miami will help end his quest for consistent playing time
The Ecuadorean striker spoke on Thursday about his arrival to the team and city that he calls his "second home"
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Leonardo Campana was on vacation with his family in Miami over the holidays when the phone rang. It was Inter Miami expressing interest in bringing him to the city he has long considered his second home.
He wasted no time in saying yes.
Inter Miami officially signed Campana on loan from English club Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday, and the Ecuadorean international striker is hoping this stop in his career proves a more fruitful one. Campana has bounced around a few different teams since 2020, and has arrived in South Florida looking for the type of continuity that has thus far largely evaded him.
“That is the idea, that is the idea,” said Campana in Spanish. “I was really interested in this project, and the winning mentality that the coach and staff have. I know what I need is to play game by game and get minutes so I can once again be the goal-scoring Leonardo that I was some time ago. I am sure with this team I will be able to do that.”
How the 21-year-old Campana landed with Inter Miami is an interesting tale. He was in Miami last month to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s Eve with relatives when the Herons surprisingly reached out to him. They told him about the project they are working on, and he did not hesitate to jump on board.
Yes, part of the lightning-quick decision was fueled by his desire to find regular playing time, but another part by his long-standing affinity for Miami.
“When I had vacations from school when I was young I used to come here a lot with my family,” said Campana in English in the same interview, showcasing his bilingual skills. “I also have family living here, so I do not think the adaptation will be a problem. I am really excited and happy to be here.”
Inter Miami is hoping Campana’s happiness and familiarity with the area lead to on-field production. The team had one of the worst attacks in MLS in 2021 — finishing with a paltry 36 goals en route to missing the playoffs — and is in sore need of another scoring threat to complement star attacker Gonzalo Higuain.
Campana — who remembers attending the 2014 World Cup in Brazil as a young fan and watching Higuain play then for Argentina’s national team — might just be the answer Inter Miami is looking for.
While Campana only scored a combined five goals at the club level during his most recent loan spells at Swiss side Grasshopper and Portuguese team Famalicao, his 6-foot-2 frame could provide a sorely-needed extra element in a league in which the physical component is so significant. What’s more, he is hungry to make an impact.
“For me this year is really important,” said Campana, who has earned 10 caps with Ecuador since making his international debut three years ago. “We have the World Cup with the national team, and what gives me the chance to be in the national team is doing a great job here. I will do my best every day and hopefully score in the games to be with the national team again.”
As motivated and comfortable as Campana may already be, he will still need some time to fully adjust to his new surroundings. For instance, not only does he have to learn how his new teammates like to play, but one of his family members also has to head to Switzerland to pick up Campana’s stuff while the young forward continues preseason training with Inter Miami.
Still, Campana is confident this move will work out for him in a way that others have not. His search to find a steady playing rhythm has taken him to a city he is familiar with, and a team he is thrilled about.
“(Miami) is my second home,” said Campana. “It has been my second home my whole life. I am very excited for this project, and I am very happy to be here.”