Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - Ya fara zama na farko na kasa da kasa don Brazil a 1990. An zaɓe shi a matsayin mai tsaron baya na hagu don gasar cin kofin duniya ta FIFA ta 1994, yana barin saurayi Roberto Carlos daga cikin tawagar, abin takaici ne ga na biyun. Leonardo ya taka leda sosai a wasannin farko amma sai aka dakatar da shi na wasanni hudu saboda buga dan wasan tsakiya na Amurka Tab Ramos a kai, wanda ya haifar da karayar kwanyar da ta kwantar da shi a asibiti tsawon watanni uku da rabi. Dakatar da Leonardo ya hana shi shiga cikin sauran gasar. Shi ne karo na biyu mafi tsawo da aka dakatar da shi a tarihin gasar cin kofin duniya, bayan dakatar da Mauro Tassotti na wasanni takwas saboda karya hancin Luis Enrique a wannan gasar. A 1995, ya shiga cikin Copa América
tare da Brazil, inda kungiyar ta kai wasan karshe.