 Saviola during his presentation as aBenfica player, 2009 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Javier Pedro Saviola Fernández | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1981-12-11)11 December 1981 (age 43) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Buenos Aires, Argentina | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Barcelona U19 (assistant) Encamp (futsal) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Parque Chas | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| River Plate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–2001 | River Plate | 86 | (45) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001–2007 | Barcelona | 123 | (49) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2005 | →Monaco (loan) | 29 | (7) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2005–2006 | →Sevilla (loan) | 29 | (9) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2007–2009 | Real Madrid | 17 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2009–2012 | Benfica | 69 | (24) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Málaga | 27 | (8) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2014 | Olympiacos | 26 | (12) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2014–2015 | Verona | 15 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2016 | River Plate | 14 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 434 | (159) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2001 | Argentina U20 | 7 | (11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2007 | Argentina | 39 | (11) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2016–2022 | Ordino (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2022– | Barcelona U19 (assistant) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Javier Pedro Saviola Fernández (Spanish pronunciation:[xaˈβjeɾˈpeðɾosaˈβjolafeɾˈnandes]; born 11 December 1981) is an Argentine former professionalfootballer who played as aforward.
He represented bothBarcelona andReal Madrid, also having notable spells withBenfica andOlympiacos, and was named as the youngest player onPelé'sFIFA 100 list of the 125 greatest living footballers in 2004. Due to his ancestry he also holdsSpanish nationality since 2004, and he amassedLa Liga totals of 196 games and 70 goals over the course of eight seasons; he started and finished his career atRiver Plate.
Saviola won league titles in Argentina, Spain, Portugal and Greece during his playing career, as well as aUEFA Cup. AnArgentine international for seven years, he represented his country at the2006 World Cup and the2004 Copa América, where Argentina reached the final. He also won a gold medal at the2004 Olympics in Athens.
NicknamedEl Conejo (TheRabbit),[1]Buenos Aires-born Saviola made his debut forRiver Plate at the age of 16, and went on to be a prolific goalscorer for the club.[2]
He helped River to the 1999Apertura and 2000Clausura championships, and earned the 1999South American Footballer of the Year award. Still only 18, he gained a reputation as a phenomenal prospect, and was even regarded as a potentialheir toDiego Maradona, in particular after he broke the latter's 1978 record by becoming the youngest player to win the Golden Boot award.[3]
In 2001, aged 19, Saviola moved abroad to play forBarcelona in a£15 million transfer.[4] He obtainedSpanish citizenship shortly after, thereby not being restricted by the Spanish league maximum on the number of non-European Union citizens allowed in each team; under coachCarles Rexach, he scored 17 goals inhis first season, finishing joint-fourth top scorer inLa Liga.[5]
Saviola'ssecond year at theCamp Nou did not start well, as he only scored two goals in the first half of the season.Radomir Antić became the new coach afterLouis van Gaal was fired, and he went on to net eleven goals in the latter half of the campaign;Frank Rijkaard was subsequently appointed as new manager for2003–04, and the player scored 14 times in the league alone, but was deemed surplus at the club as was longtime attacking partnerPatrick Kluivert.[5]
Saviola was senton loan in the summer of 2004, moving toMonaco inLigue 1. As he did not fit into Rijkaard's plans, he was again loaned out the following year, this time toSevilla who were seeking to replaceReal Madrid-boundJúlio Baptista; with theAndalusians he won his first title in Europe,conquering theUEFA Cup — he also scored nine times in the league, good enoughfor fifth.
Saviola returned to Barcelona for2006–07,[6] playing in 18 league games, six as a starter, and netting five goals. He benefited greatly from injuries to teammates, most notably toSamuel Eto'o, and added five in as many matches inthat season'sCopa del Rey, notably ahat-trick againstAlavés (3–2 win at home, 5–2 aggregate).[7][8]
On 10 July 2007, Real Madrid signed Saviola after his Barcelona contract expired, on a three-year deal.[9] Although on a financially lucrative contract, he endured a difficult time at Real, being mainly restricted to cup matches and sporadic appearances (mainly as a substitute) in the league and theUEFA Champions League.
The arrival ofKlaas-Jan Huntelaar limited Saviola's opportunities even more, and he finished his Real Madrid spell with five goals in 28 overall appearances.[10][11]
On 26 June 2009,Benfica and Real Madrid agreed on a€5 million deal that would see Saviola play inPortugal for the next three years, with an option for one more; a €30 million clause was added. On 16 July, he scored two goals to send his team into theGuadiana Trophy finals after defeatingAthletic Bilbao.[12]
Saviola netted twice on 22 October 2009, guiding his side to a 5–0 victory overEverton for theUEFA Europa League (he would also score in their 2–0 win inLiverpool in the second match),[13] adding another brace four days later in a 6–1 routing ofC.D. Nacional for thePrimeira Liga.[14]
On 6 December 2009, Saviola scored through a chip shot againstAcadémica de Coimbra in a 4–0 home win.[15] On 20 December, he netted the game's only goal as Benfica defeated rivalsPorto at home;[16] during the victorious campaign, he formed a deadly attacking partnership with ParaguayanÓscar Cardozo, with the pair combining for more than 50 goals overall.[17]
On 3 January 2010, shortly before receiving theSJPF Player of the Month award,[18] Saviola scored anotherwinning goal against Nacional, now for theTaça da Liga,[19] again being the game's only scorer in an away defeat ofRio Ave, netting in the 48th minute.[20] He scored his 19th goal overall in a 3–1 home triumph againstPaços de Ferreira on 7 March,[21] and theLisbon club was eventuallycrowned league champions
In the last hours of the2012–13 summertransfer window, Saviola agreed on a move toMálaga.[22] He played 45 minutes in his first appearance, a 1–0 win atReal Zaragoza on 1 September.[23]
On 15 September 2012, Saviola scored once and provided oneassist in a 3−1 home win againstLevante.[24] He continued with his streak the following game, Málaga's first-ever in theChampions League group stage, netting in a 3–0 home win overZenit Saint Petersburg.[25]
On 25 July 2013, Saviola signed a two-year contract with Greek championsOlympiacos.[26] He scored his first goal in theSuperleague on 25 August,coming on athalf-time and helping his team come from behind to win 2–1 at home toAtromitos On 10 December, he netted a brace – and also missed apenalty – in a 3–1 success overAnderlecht also at theKaraiskakis Stadium inthe group stage's last round, which helped thePiraeus team finish second and qualify at the expense of former side Benfica.[27]
On 2 September 2014, Saviola joinedSerie A clubHellas Verona.[28] He made his official debut on 22 September, starting in a 2–2 home draw againstGenoa,[29] and scored his first goal on 2 December, netting the only in ahome win overPerugia for theCoppa Italia.[30] His sole goal of the league season came on 25 January 2015, the only one in a home victory overAtalanta.[31]
On 30 June 2015, River Plate announced that Saviola had returned to the club.[32] He left in January of the following year, after failing to find the net in his second spell,[33] and subsequently retired from professional football at the age of 34.[34]
Immediately after retiring, Saviola settled inAndorra with his family and was appointed assistant manager atOrdino in thePrimera Divisió.[35] In February 2018, he joined localfutsal teamEncamp.[34] In April of that year, he won the principality's futsal league with the side.[36]
Saviola starred in the2001 edition of theFIFA U-20 World Cup, held in Argentina. He was top scorer and was voted player of the tournament, as thenational team won the competition; with 11 goals in seven games, he became the record goal-scorer in the tournament's history.[37]
Three years later, Saviola played in the2004 Olympic Games andwon the gold medal. Under coachMarcelo Bielsa he was given few playing opportunities for the senior team but, after the former's resignation in 2004, new managerJosé Pékerman, who also worked with him at youth level, turned the tide in the player's favour; he was also a member of the squads that reached final of the2004 Copa América and the2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, netting three times in the former tournament[38] and one in the latter.
Saviola was called up to represent Argentina at the2006 World Cup –Luciano Figueroa andLuciano Galletti were also in contention for a place on the roster, but his excellent form for Sevilla secured his place in the squad. He scored againstIvory Coast in the country's opening game, and made two assists in the 6–0 victory overSerbia and Montenegro also in the group phase.[39]
Saviola retired from international football on 5 December 2009, although not yet 28. He stated that he felt his career as an Argentina player had come to an end, and that he wanted to concentrate on club football.
Saviola was known for his speed, agility,dribbling and ability to score from almost any attacking position on the field.[4][40][41] A diminutive, talented, and prolific forward, with a slender build, he was capable of playing as astriker, in a more creative role as asecond striker, or even in aplaymaking role as anattacking midfielder.[40][42][43][44][45] Throughout his career, Saviola was nicknamedEl Conejo (The Rabbit, in Spanish), due to his appearance, and alsoEl Pibito (The Little Kid, in Spanish), a reference to compatriot Diego Maradona, who was nicknamedEl Pibe de Oro (The Golden Kid, in Spanish), and to whom Saviola was often compared in his youth.[41][46][47]
Saviola was sponsored by sportswear companyNike, and appeared in commercials for the brand. In a global advertising campaign in the run-up to the 2002 World Cup in Korea and Japan, he starred in a "Secret Tournament" commercial (branded "Scopion KO") directed byTerry Gilliam, appearing alongside footballers such asLuís Figo,Thierry Henry,Hidetoshi Nakata,Roberto Carlos,Ronaldinho,Ronaldo andFrancesco Totti, with former playerEric Cantona the tournament "referee".[48][49]
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Continental | Total | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| River Plate | 1998–99 | Argentine Primera División | 19 | 6 | — | — | 19 | 6 | ||||
| 1999–2000 | Argentine Primera División | 33 | 19 | — | — | 33 | 19 | |||||
| 2000–01 | Argentine Primera División | 34 | 20 | — | — | 34 | 20 | |||||
| Total | 86 | 45 | — | — | 86 | 45 | ||||||
| Barcelona | 2001–02 | La Liga | 36 | 17 | 1 | 0 | — | 11 | 4 | 48 | 21 | |
| 2002–03 | La Liga | 36 | 13 | 1 | 0 | — | 14 | 7 | 51 | 20 | ||
| 2003–04 | La Liga | 33 | 14 | 5 | 2 | — | 7 | 3 | 45 | 19 | ||
| 2006–07 | La Liga | 18 | 5 | 5 | 5 | — | 1 | 0 | 24 | 10 | ||
| Total | 123 | 49 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 33 | 14 | 168 | 70 | ||
| Monaco (loan) | 2004–05 | Ligue 1 | 29 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 4 | 42 | 17 |
| Sevilla (loan) | 2005–06 | La Liga | 29 | 9 | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 6 | 42 | 15 | |
| Real Madrid | 2007–08 | La Liga | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 17 | 3 | |
| 2008–09 | La Liga | 8 | 1 | 2 | 1 | — | 2 | 0 | 12 | 2 | ||
| Total | 17 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 29 | 5 | ||
| Benfica | 2009–10 | Primeira Liga | 27 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 11 | 6 | 44 | 19 |
| 2010–11 | Primeira Liga | 24 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 45 | 14 | |
| 2011–12 | Primeira Liga | 18 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 31 | 6 | |
| Total | 69 | 24 | 10 | 5 | 12 | 3 | 29 | 7 | 120 | 39 | ||
| Málaga | 2012–13 | La Liga | 27 | 8 | 4 | 0 | — | 6 | 1 | 37 | 9 | |
| Olympiacos | 2013–14 | Super League Greece | 25 | 12 | 4 | 0 | — | 5 | 2 | 34 | 14 | |
| 2014–15 | Super League Greece | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Total | 26 | 12 | 4 | 0 | — | 5 | 2 | 35 | 14 | |||
| Verona | 2014–15 | Serie A | 15 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 16 | 2 | ||
| River Plate | 2015 | Argentine Primera División | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 2 | 0 | 15 | 0 | |
| Career total | 434 | 159 | 44 | 20 | 13 | 3 | 99 | 34 | 590 | 216 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Argentina | 2000 | 1 | 0 |
| 2001 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2002 | 3 | 0 | |
| 2003 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2004 | 10 | 5 | |
| 2005 | 8 | 1 | |
| 2006 | 5 | 1 | |
| 2007 | 4 | 1 | |
| Total | 39 | 11 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 April 2003 | June 11,Tripoli, Libya |  Libya | 1–0 | 3–1 | Friendly |
| 2 | 8 June 2003 | Nagai Stadium,Osaka, Japan |  Japan | 1–0 | 4–1 | Friendly |
| 3 | 11 June 2003 | Seoul World Cup,Seoul, South Korea |  South Korea | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 4 | 30 June 2004 | Giants Stadium,New Jersey, United States |  Peru | 2–0 | 2–1 | Friendly |
| 5 | 7 July 2004 | Elías Aguirre,Chiclayo, Peru |  Ecuador | 2–1 | 6–1 | 2004 Copa América |
| 6 | 3–1 | |||||
| 7 | 4–1 | |||||
| 8 | 17 November 2004 | El Monumental,Buenos Aires, Argentina |  Venezuela | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2006 World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 15 June 2005 | RheinEnergieStadion,Cologne, Germany |  Tunisia | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup |
| 10 | 10 June 2006 | Imtech Arena,Hamburg, Germany |  Ivory Coast | 2–0 | 2–1 | 2006 FIFA World Cup |
| 11 | 7 February 2007 | Stade de France,Saint-Denis, France |  France | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
River Plate
Sevilla
Real Madrid[50]
Benfica[50]
Olympiacos
Argentina
Individual
Argentina squads | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Awards | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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