Esteban Saveljich
Saveljich with Montenegro in 2015
Personal information
Full name Esteban Ariel Saveljich
Date of birth (1991-05-20) 20 May 1991
Place of birth Tandil, Argentina
Height 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s) Centre-back
Team information
Current team
 Burgos
Number 24
Youth career
2006–2012 Racing Club
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2012–2016 Racing Club 28 (1)
2015–2016 → Defensa y Justicia (loan) 24 (1)
2016 → Almería (loan) 17 (1)
2016–2019 Levante 9 (0)
2017–2018 → Albacete (loan) 29 (0)
2018–2019 → Almería (loan) 33 (1)
2019–2023 Rayo Vallecano 79 (4)
2023– Burgos 8 (0)
International career‡
2015– Montenegro 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 14 December 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 24 March 2016

Esteban Ariel Saveljich (Montenegrin: Естебан Савељић, romanized: Esteban Saveljić; born 20 May 1991) is a professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Spanish club Burgos CF. Born in Argentina, he represents the Montenegro national team at international level.[2]

Club career

Born in Tandil, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, Saveljich joined Racing Club's youth setup in 2006, aged 15. On 23 June 2012, he made his first team – and Primera División – debut, in a 2–1 away loss against Vélez Sársfield.[3]

Saveljich scored his first professional goal on 1 April 2014, in a 3–3 home draw against Estudiantes.[4] He was also a part of the squad which was crowned champions in that year, but as a backup.

In January 2015 Saveljich was loaned to fellow top tier club Defensa y Justicia, until the end of the year. He appeared in 24 matches, scoring once, as his side avoided relegation.

On 24 January 2016, Saveljich moved abroad, signing a six-month loan deal with Segunda División side UD Almería.[5] On 18 August, he signed a permanent four-year deal with fellow league team Levante UD.[6]

On 4 August 2017, after contributing sporadically to the Valencian club's promotion to La Liga, Saveljich was loaned to Albacete Balompié in the second level, for one year.[7] On 31 August 2018, he returned to Almería on loan for the 2018–19 campaign.[8]

On 26 July 2019, Saveljich agreed to a permanent four-year deal with Rayo Vallecano, freshly relegated to the second division.[9] On 1 September 2023, he joined Burgos CF in the second division on a one-year contract.[10]

International career

Saveljich obtained Montenegrin nationality in 2015. He was called up for international matches of Montenegro versus Denmark and Sweden in June 2015, both of which he entered as a substitute. In a Euro 2016 qualifying match against Russia, he was in the starting line-up. Under Ljubiša Tumbaković, the new head coach of Montenegro national team, he played in a friendly match against Greece.[11]

Personal life

Saveljich, a Montenegrin Argentine, is the cousin of former Montenegrin footballer Niša Saveljić.[12] His paternal great-grandfather and grandmother were immigrants from Montenegro.[13][14]

Saveljich is nicknamed el Polaco (The Pole) by Argentine media, due to his hair colour. Conversely, in Montenegro he is nicknamed Gaucho.[15][16]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 22 August 2021[17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Racing Club 2011–12 Primera División 1000—10
2012–13 Primera División 1000—10
2013–14 Primera División 26100—261
Total 2810000281
Defensa y Justicia (loan) 2015 Primera División 24130—271
Almería (loan) 2015–16 Segunda División 17100—171
Levante 2016–17 Segunda División 9010—100
Albacete (loan) 2017–18 Segunda División 29000—290
Almería (loan) 2018–19 Segunda División 33110—341
Rayo Vallecano 2019–20 Segunda División 32320—343
2020–21 Segunda División 251304[lower-alpha 1]0321
2021–22 La Liga 9000—90
Total 6645040754
Career total 2068100402208
  1. ↑ Appearance(s) in Promotion Playoffs

International

As of match played 24 March 2016[18]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Montenegro 201530
201610
Total40

Honours

Racing Club

Levante UD

References

  1. ↑ "Esteban Saceljich". Rayo Vallecano. Retrieved 14 August 2022.
  2. ↑ "Poziv za Saveljića i Vukčevića". FSCG. Archived from the original on 28 May 2015. Retrieved 28 May 2015.
  3. ↑ "Vélez terminó con sonrisa: venció 2–1 a Racing" [Vélez ended up smiling: defeated Racing by 2–1] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 23 June 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Racing y Estudiantes igualaron 3–3 en un verdadero y emocionante partidazo" [Racing and Estudiantes draw 3–3 in a truly and emotional great match] (in Spanish). ESPN Deportes. 1 April 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "El Almería cierra los fichajes del central Saveljich y del atacante Juan Ramírez" [Almería completes the signings of stopper Saveljich and forward Juan Ramírez] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 24 January 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  6. ↑ "Esteban Saveljich, nuevo jugador del Levante por las próximas cuatro temporadas" [Esteban Saveljich, new player of Levante for the following four seasons]. Levante UD. 18 August 2016. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "Saveljich jugará cedido la próxima temporada en el Albacete Balompié" [Saveljich will play on loan the following season at Albacete Balompié] (in Spanish). Levante UD. 4 August 2017. Retrieved 4 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "Joaquín se marcha del Almería y llega Esteban Saveljich" [Joaquín leaves Almería and Esteban Saveljich arrives] (in Spanish). UD Almería. 31 August 2018. Archived from the original on 1 September 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2018.
  9. ↑ "Esteban Saveljich nuevo jugador del Rayo Vallecano" [Esteban Saveljich new player of Rayo Vallecano] (in Spanish). Rayo Vallecano. 26 July 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
  10. ↑ "Esteban Saveljich refuerza la zaga del Burgos CF" [Esteban Saveljich bolsters the defense of Burgos CF] (in Spanish). Burgos CF. 1 September 2023. Retrieved 1 September 2023.
  11. ↑ "Player Database". eu-football.info. Retrieved 11 October 2020.
  12. ↑ Esteban Saveljić: Igraću za Crnu Goru! Archived 2 April 2015 at the Wayback Machine at MNsport, 28 January 2015
  13. ↑ Esteban Saveljich: “Si hubiesen chances de jugar en Montenegro, no las descartaría”
  14. ↑ Saveljich a la selección
  15. ↑ "STIGAO SAVELJIĆ". CG Fudbal. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  16. ↑ "Esteban Saveljić stigao u Crnu Goru: Presrećan sam!". portalanalitika.me. Portal Analitika. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
  17. 1 2 3 Esteban Saveljich at Soccerway
  18. ↑ Esteban Saveljich at National-Football-Teams.com
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