Leonard Crossley (1883 – 1958) was a British-born Uruguayan footballer. [1] [2] Crossley, who played as a goalkeeper, made two appearances for Uruguay in home and away friendly matches against Argentina in April and November 1911. [3]
He was one of several foreign-born players to represent Uruguay in the early days of international football, a time when eligibility requirements were more lax. [4] [5]
Crossley was not considered tall enough to play in English football at the top level. [6] He emigrated to Uruguay in 1906 to work as a stenographer for the Central Uruguay Railway and soon began playing Uruguayan league football for Central Uruguay Railway Cricket Club (CURCC). [6] [7] An innovator on the field, Crossley differed from many other goalkeepers of the time through his "tactical vision", including a willingness to play the ball short and actively organize his defence. [8] [6] He rarely punched the ball, as was then common, instead "pocketing" it. [6]
Crossley retired from playing for Peñarol, the successor to CURCC, in 1914 and immediately joined the club's management team. [9]