Leiva began his professional career with Universidad de Chile, staying only two years at the club.
[2] Along with La U, he played the last minutes in a 1996 Copa Libertadores match against Barcelona de Guayaquil at the quarter-finals.
[3][2] After he was on loan to Deportes Iquique, he played for several clubs in Chile, being his greatest achievement to become runner-up of the 2005 Torneo Apertura with Coquimbo Unido, after losing the final against Unión Española.
[4] On 2011, Leiva began his managerial career at the youth categories of Universidad de Chile and Jorge Sampaoli, manager of La U, gave him in charge of the "sparring team".
[7] On 11 December 2024, Leiva joined the technical staff of Ariel Pereyra in Colón as an assistant coach.