Personal information | |||
---|---|---|---|
Full name | Esteban Ariel Saveljich | ||
Date of birth | 20 May 1991 | ||
Place of birth | Tandil, Argentina | ||
Height | 1.87 m (6 ft 2 in)[1] | ||
Position(s) | Centre-back | ||
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) |
2023–2024 | 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. Born in Argentina, he represents the Montenegro national team at international level.[2]
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]
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]
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]
Club | Season | League | National Cup | Other | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Racing Club | 2011–12 | Primera División | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | |
2012–13 | Primera División | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | ||
2013–14 | Primera División | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 26 | 1 | ||
Total | 28 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 28 | 1 | ||
Defensa y Justicia (loan) | 2015 | Primera División | 24 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 27 | 1 | |
Almería (loan) | 2015–16 | Segunda División | 17 | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 17 | 1 | |
Levante | 2016–17 | Segunda División | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 10 | 0 | |
Albacete (loan) | 2017–18 | Segunda División | 29 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 29 | 0 | |
Almería (loan) | 2018–19 | Segunda División | 33 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | 34 | 1 | |
Rayo Vallecano | 2019–20 | Segunda División | 32 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | 34 | 3 | |
2020–21 | Segunda División | 25 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4[a] | 0 | 32 | 1 | |
2021–22 | La Liga | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 9 | 0 | ||
Total | 66 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 75 | 4 | ||
Career total | 206 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 220 | 8 |
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
Montenegro | 2015 | 3 | 0 |
2016 | 1 | 0 | |
Total | 4 | 0 |
Racing Club
Levante UD