Biography
Who is Javier Saviola?
Early life and career beginnings
Javier Pedro Saviola Fernández was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on December 11, 1981. He received his training in the youth academy of River Plate and made his professional debut for the club at the age of 16 in 1998. During his early years in his home country, he established a reputation as a productive goalscorer and a phenomenal prospect.
His performances helped River Plate secure the 1999 Apertura and 2000 Clausura championships. In 1999, he earned the South American Footballer of the Year award. He also shone on the international youth stage, starring in the 2001 FIFA U-20 World Cup held in Argentina, where he finished as the top scorer with 11 goals and won the tournament.
Playing in Spain and Europe
In 2001, Javier Saviola moved to Europe to join Spanish club Barcelona in a fifteen million pound transfer. He scored 17 goals in his first season with the Catalan side. Later in his career, he crossed the fierce rivalry divide to sign with Real Madrid in 2007 upon the expiration of his Barcelona contract.
Over his career, he also played for several other European clubs including Monaco, Sevilla, Benfica, Málaga, Olympiacos, and Hellas Verona. With Sevilla, he won the UEFA Cup. He finished his professional playing career back at River Plate in 2016, and he also won league titles in Argentina, Spain, Portugal, and Greece.
International career with Argentina
Javier Saviola represented the Argentina national team for seven years, making his senior debut in 2000. He played a key role for his country at the 2004 Copa América, where Argentina reached the final, and he also won a gold medal with the squad at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
He was subsequently selected for the Argentina squad at the 2006 World Cup, scoring a goal against Ivory Coast in the opening match. He retired from international football in December 2009 at the age of 28 to focus entirely on his club career.
Retirement and coaching
After finishing his playing days, Javier Saviola settled in Andorra with his family and transitioned into coaching and futsal. He worked as an assistant coach for FC Ordino in the Primera Divisió. In addition to his football advisory and coaching work, he played local futsal for Encamp and won the Andorran futsal league in April 2018.
Birthday and age
Javier Saviola was born on December 11, 1981, which makes Javier 44 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Javier shares the date with 30 other famous people.
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