Javier Saviola

Javier Pedro Saviola (born 11 December 1981 in Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an Argentina professional football (soccer) player, who plays for Real Madrid. His usual position is as striker. He is known for his speed and ability to score from almost any position. He has scored 10 goals in 34 games for the Argentina national football team, and represented his country at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In 2005, he was the youngest named on the FIFA 100 list of the 125 greatest living footballers.

Professional career

River Plate

Nicknamed El Conejito (The Little Rabbit), Saviola made his debut for Argentine side Club Atlético River Plate at the age of 16, and went on to be a prolific goalscorer for the club. He helped River Plate win the 1999 Apertura and Clausura and 2000 Apertura and Clausura championships, and earned the 1999 South American Footballer of the Year award. Still only 18, he gained a reputation as a phenomenal prospect.

Saviola starred in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship of the Football World Youth Championship, held in Argentina. He was top scorer and was voted player of the tournament, as the Argentine youth national team won the competition. With 11 goals in seven games, he became the record goal-scorer in World Youth Cup history.

FC Barcelona

That summer, aged 19, he moved abroad to play for FC Barcelona in Spain. He obtained Spanish citizenship, and thereby wasn't restricted by the Spanish league maximum on the number of non-European Union citizens allowed in each club. Under coach Louis Van Gaal, he scored 17 goals in his first season, finishing third best scorer in La Liga.

His second year at the club did not start well, as he only scored two goals in the first half of the season. When Van Gaal was fired and Radomir Antić became new Barcelona manager, Saviola went on to score eleven goals in the latter half of the 2002-03 season. At the start of the 2003-04 season, Frank Rijkaard was appointed as new manager. Saviola scored 14 goals during the season, but was deemed surplus at the club.

Saviola played in the 2004 Summer Olympics and won the Olympic Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics with the Argentina national football team. Under coach Marcelo Bielsa, Saviola had few playing opportunities for Argentina, but after Bielsa's resignation in 2004, new coach José Pekerman gave Saviola more playing time.

Saviola was sent loan (football) the following year, as he moved to AS Monaco FC in the Ligue 1 championship in the summer 2004. As he did not fit into Rijkaard's plans, Saviola was again loaned out in the summer of 2005, this time to Spanish club Sevilla FC, in order to replace attacking player Júlio Baptista who moved to Real Madrid. At Sevilla, Saviola won his first title in Europe, when the club won the UEFA Cup 2005-06.

Saviola was called up to represent Argentina at the 2006 FIFA World Cup by José Pekerman. Striker Luciano Figueroa and winger Luciano Galletti were in contention for a place on the roster, but Saviola's excellent form for Sevilla, scoring a handy 20 goals in 55 games and winning UEFA Cup with the Andalusian team, secured his place in the squad. Saviola made his presence felt at the tournament, as he scored a goal against Côte d'Ivoire national football team in Argentina's opening game, and made two assists in the 6-0 victory against Serbia and Montenegro national football team.

Saviola returned to Barcelona for La Liga - 2006/2007, playing in 18 league games (6 as a starter, 12 as a substitute) and scoring 5 goals. In the Copa del Rey, he appeared in 5 games (3 starts, 2 substitutions), scoring 5 goals. He also made a solitary Champions League appearance.

Real Madrid

On July 10, 2007 it was reported that Real Madrid signed Javier Saviola after he was released by Barcelona. The Club's website published Saviola's first interview in Madrid on July 12, confirming that he would be presented to the press the next day as a new Real Madrid player.
On July 13 Saviola completed his free transfer to Real Madrid CF, signing a contract that ends in 2011.

On August 03 2007, Saviola scored his first goal for Real Madrid against FC Lokomotiv Moscow. Also, He scored his second goal for Real Madrid against PSV Eindhoven two days later on August 05 2007. On September 16 he scored his first La Liga goal for Real against UD Almería