Sebastián Saja

Diego Sebastián Saja (born 5 June 1979) is an Argentine football coach and former player who is currently an assistant coach for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami CF.

Sebastián Saja
Saja in 2014
Personal information
Full name Diego Sebástian Saja
Date of birth (1979-06-05) 5 June 1979
Place of birth La Plata, Argentina
Height 1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Club information
Current team
 Inter Miami (assistant)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2000–2008 San Lorenzo 145 (11)
2003 → Brescia (loan) 4 (0)
2004 → Rayo Vallecano (loan) 20 (0)
2004 → Club América (loan) 4 (0)
2005–2006 → Córdoba (loan) 23 (0)
2007–2008 → Grêmio (loan) 30 (1)
2008–2011 AEK Athens 95 (2)
2011–2016 Racing Club 169 (7)
2016 Gimnàstic 10 (0)
2017 Zaragoza 6 (0)
Total 500 (19)
National team
1997–1999 Argentina U20 24 (0)
2002–2003 Argentina 4 (0)
Teams managed
2017–2018 Guaraní
2018 Agropecuario
2019 Inter Miami (academy coach)
2020–2021 Inter Miami (assistant)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He spent most of his professional career with San Lorenzo, Racing Club and AEK Athens, being one of the most prolific goalscoring goalkeepers in history. He represented four clubs in the Spanish Segunda División, and also competed in Italy, Mexico and Brazil.

Club career

San Lorenzo

Born in La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Saja had nearly 200 overall appearances for San Lorenzo de Almagro, being voted South America's best goalkeeper in 2002. In 2001, he helped the team win the Clausura and the Copa Mercosur, adding the following year's Copa Sudamericana.

Saja split the 2003–04 season with Brescia Calcio and Rayo Vallecano, being first-choice and dropping down a level with the latter. Moving to another club in Spain and in the second division for the following campaign, he would also be relegated with Córdoba CF.

After a brief spell in Mexico with Club América, Saja returned to San Lorenzo for 2005–06: he made 33 appearances and scored five goals in the Primera División, but was eventually sent out on loan for the fifth time, this time to Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense after falling out of favour with new manager Ramón Díaz.[1][2]

AEK

Released in 2008, Saja signed a three-year contract with AEK Athens FC, earning approximately €400.000. He appeared in 29 games in his first year to help his team finish fourth in the Superleague, but it was also quickly eliminated from UEFA Cup contention.[3]

On 31 May 2009, Saja agreed to a new three-year deal with the Greek side,[4] continuing to be first-choice and winning the 2011 edition of the Greek Cup.

Return to Argentina

On 29 June 2011, Saja and AEK agreed to terminate his contract one year before it expired.[5] Shortly after, the 32-year-old returned to his homeland and joined Racing Club de Avellaneda,[6] netting his first goal for his new team on 29 September of the following year, through a penalty against former club San Lorenzo in a 4–0 win;[7] he was also the goalkeeper with the fewest goals conceded in the 2011 Apertura, breaking a club record for a short tournament held by Carlos Roa since 1992.[8]

On 9 June 2013, again from the penalty spot, Saja scored against Boca Juniors (2–0 home triumph, which qualified for the Copa Sudamericana).[9] On 18 October 2015, against the same opponent but for the league, he repeated the feat to help the hosts win it 3–1.[10]

Gimnàstic / Zaragoza

On 16 August 2016, free agent Saja signed a one-year deal with Gimnàstic de Tarragona, returning to Spain and its second tier after 11 years.[11] Due to the injury of Manolo Reina, he was made a starter during the first matches of the season.[12]

On 21 December 2016, after being overtaken by another new signing, Stole Dimitrievski, Saja left Nàstic by mutual consent.[13] The following 24 January, he joined fellow league team Real Zaragoza until the end of the campaign.[14]

On 9 June 2017, Saja announced his retirement at the age of 38.[15]

International career

Saja earned four caps for Argentina, making his debut against Wales on 13 February 2002 (1–1 in Cardiff).[16] In the following year he appeared in a further three friendlies, with Honduras (3–1), Mexico (1–0) and the United States (1–0).[17]

Honours

Club

San Lorenzo

Grêmio

AEK

Racing Club

Individual

References
  1. Saja se fue a Brasil; llega Romagnoli (Saja went to Brazil; Romagnoli arrives); La Nación, 18 January 2007 (in Spanish)
  2. Sebastián Saja y otro conflicto en puerta para el equipo de Ramón Díaz (Sebastián Saja and another run-in in the making for Ramón Díaz's team); Minuto Uno, 19 February 2008 (in Spanish)
  3. Omonia keep the party going in Nicosia; UEFA, 28 August 2008
  4. Saja signs new deal; AEK Athens, 31 May 2009 (in Greek)
  5. Βελούδινο διαζύγιο ΑΕΚ – Σάχα; Tovima, 29 June 2011 (in Greek)
  6. Chino de Avellaneda (Avellaneda's Chino); Olé, 2 July 2011 (in Spanish)
  7. Racing goleó por 4 a 0 a San Lorenzo y quedó a un punto del líder (Racing routed San Lorenzo 4 to 0 and are now one point behind leader); La Capital, 29 September 2012 (in Spanish)
  8. Premio para el mejor (Award to the best); Olé, 13 December 2011 (in Spanish)
  9. Torneo Final: Racing le ganó a Boca y se clasificó a la Copa Sudamericana (Final Tournament: Racing beat Boca and qualified for the South American Cup); La Voz del Interior, 9 June 2013 (in Spanish)
  10. Racing le amargó la noche a Boca (Racing made night for Boca a bitter one); El Patagónico, 19 October 2015 (in Spanish)
  11. Saja, nou fitxatge per a la porteria del Nàstic (Saja, new signing for Nàstic's goal); Gimnàstic Tarragona, 16 August 2016 (in Catalan)
  12. Sebastián Saja seguirá su carrera en la segunda división de España (Sebastián Saja will continue his career in the Spanish second division); La Nación, 17 August 2016 (in Spanish)
  13. Saja finalitza la seva vinculació amb el Nàstic (Saja ends his link with Nàstic); Gimnàstic Tarragona, 21 December 2016 (in Catalan)
  14. Confirmada la contratación del portero Sebastián Saja (Signing of goalkeeper Sebastián Saja confirmed); Real Zaragoza, 24 January 2017 (in Spanish)
  15. Sebastián Saja se retira del fútbol: "Nada de lo que haga de acá en adelante me hará sentir tan pleno" (Saja retires from football: "Nothing that happens from now on will make me feel so fulfilled"); La Nación, 9 June 2017 (in Spanish)
  16. 2002 Matches; at RSSSF
  17. International Friendly Matches 2003; at RSSSF
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