How good was Javier Saviola?

[Vidyoyo]

Argentinian footballer Javier Saviola was renowned as the man who had stints at perennial Iberian rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Nicknamed 'The Rabbit', due to his diminutive size, he first made his name at River Plate, debuting at 16 and went on to score 46 goals in 85 games, while also bagging the U-20 World Cup.

This brought the worlds' spotlight upon the young man who finally earned a dream move in 2001 to Barcelona. He played 123 games in total, putting the ball between the posts 49 times (a better record than Henrik Larsson, Eidur Gudjohnsen AND Giovanni Dos Santos)

For some reason though he is yet to be placed in the pantheon of footballing gods. Perhaps due to his less than spectacular stint at Real Madrid some years later when he was booted out after just two seasons, after playing a mere 17 games (due to petty politics, no doubt)

His name holds a fond place in Argentinian hearts for he scored 11 goals in 39 games with La Albiceleste, including a notable second goal against Ivory Coast in the 2006 World Cup group stages (yes, I'm sure we all remember that one).

In later years, he went on to make a name for himself at Benfica, Malaga and famously Olympiacos, where he won the Superleague Greece in 13/14. World conquest, indeed.


So what say you, RedCafe? What emotions do you feel on hearing this great man's name?

And for those of you chomping at the bit for a highlights reel? Feast your eye on THIS

 

[Eckers99]

Talent-wise he was somewhere between John Fashanu and Beppe Signori.

 

[Bubz27]

His stats in that Football Manager game were absolutely insane.

 

[Green_Red]

If I remember correctly I remember him being touted as the next Maradona early in his career. Never lived up to the hype though did he.

 

[Mainoldo]

The original Aguero before the actual one turned up.

Savigola was a good player just joined Barca at arguably their purest time in years.

 

[2 man midfield]

Fifa 12 legend

 

[Robbie Boy]

He was alright.

 

[FootballHQ]

Always reminded me of Owen.

Probably didn't reach the heights Owen did and both of their careers fizzled out once past 25.

Very good finisher at River Plate, Barca, Monaco and then Sevilla.

Was an error him moving to Real Madrid just to warm the bench when he was still only 26-27.

I was actually at a CL game for Real Madrid when he was on the bench and went to warm up after they'd already used 3 subs and had to be quickly called back!

Interesting who out of him and Pablo Aimar had the better career.

 

[#07]

Nowhere near as good as the hype. Higuain was closer to the hype than Saviola. That says a lot.

 

[Sandikan]

His stats in that Football Manager game were absolutely insane.

It was still championship manager back then wasn't it?

But him and Carlos Vela were must haves.

 

[Snow]

Not as good as Mario Jardel or Balotelli.

 

[ClaytonBlackmoorLeftPeg]

Reminds me of someone like Roque Santa Cruz, great promise, does well, expected to continue an upwards trajectory, but doesn’t. Lots of players like this. He’s unmemorable.

 

[EwanI Ted]

Talent-wise he was somewhere between John Fashanu and Beppe Signori.

Jeez. Not heard him mentioned in a while.

Spoiler

 

[Bubz27]

It was still championship manager back then wasn't it?

But him and Carlos Vela were must haves.

Yeah Champ Manager.

 

[Beobachter]

Interesting who out of him and Pablo Aimar had the better career.

Aimar by far, there's a reason why Messi cited him as his personal idol. Saviola was one of the countless stories of a wonder boy fizzling out without achieving much of note, Aimar was an absolute joy to watch when he's healthy and a key cog in that fantastic Valencia side in early to mid 2000s. Injuries doomed him for most of his remaining career, but in terms of pedigree and skill he's up there with the likes of Riquelme; mercurial genius with up-and-down career who didn't quite have the longevity, but can be as good as anyone in their peak performance.

 

[Chief123]

His stats in that Football Manager game were absolutely insane.

I was just about to say he was better on Champ Manager than he was in real life!

 

[miked99]

He was amazing on Championship Manager, as it was called then, and everyone expected him to be a superstar. Well, everyone who played the game at least. But he never really came close to fulfilling those expectations. He looked promising for a while, but that was it and for many, I'd wager he's more famous for being in the game than his actual career. That game fed so many false expectations. I spent forever waiting for Kim Kallstrom to become world-class

 

[Chief123]

He was amazing on Championship Manager, as it was called then, and everyone expected him to be a superstar. Well, everyone who played the game at least. But he never really came close to fulfilling those expectations. He looked promising for a while, but that was it and for many, I'd wager he's more famous for being in the game than his actual career. That game fed so many false expectations. I spent forever waiting for Kim Kallstrom to become world-class

Champ manager was a great way to find up and coming talent too.

I remember I bought Sergio Aguero as an 18 year old attacking midfielder.

I bought Tevez and Robinho before I’d ever seen them in real life too.

 

[FootballHQ]

He was amazing on Championship Manager, as it was called then, and everyone expected him to be a superstar. Well, everyone who played the game at least. But he never really came close to fulfilling those expectations. He looked promising for a while, but that was it and for many, I'd wager he's more famous for being in the game than his actual career. That game fed so many false expectations. I spent forever waiting for Kim Kallstrom to become world-class

I wouldn't say he faded into obscurity like many of those.

Moved to Barca at 19 when they weren't like they've been for most of the last decade. Also had LVG as manager who wasn't keen on likes of him and Riquelme. Overall 50 goals in 120 games for Barca so not too bad.

Had a good strike partnership with Kanoute at Sevilla in 05/06 when they won their first Uefa cup.

Mistake to move to Real Madrid in 2007 when he was still only 25. 17 games in two years there. At that stage it would've been a good move for him to come to premier league I think.

Then went to Benfica and scored a decent amount as you do but was really a journeyman at that stage.

11 in 39 games for Argentina. Probably at best during 2006 world cup when him and Crespo scored v Ivory Coast and you also had Messi and Tevez coming off the bench.

 

[VorZakone]

I wouldn't say he faded into obscurity like many of those.

Moved to Barca at 19 when they weren't like they've been for most of the last decade. Also had LVG as manager who wasn't keen on likes of him and Riquelme. Overall 50 goals in 120 games for Barca so not too bad.

Had a good strike partnership with Kanoute at Sevilla in 05/06 when they won their first Uefa cup.

Mistake to move to Real Madrid in 2007 when he was still only 25. 17 games in two years there. At that stage it would've been a good move for him to come to premier league I think.

Then went to Benfica and scored a decent amount as you do but was really a journeyman at that stage.

11 in 39 games for Argentina. Probably at best during 2006 world cup when him and Crespo scored v Ivory Coast and you also had Messi and Tevez coming off the bench.

Kanoute was awesome to watch at his best.

 

[miked99]

Champ manager was a great way to find up and coming talent too.

I remember I bought Sergio Aguero as an 18 year old attacking midfielder.

I bought Tevez and Robinho before I’d ever seen them in real life too.

It would be interesting to play it again now to be fair. I used to play that game all day and night. So much so in fact I preferred playing that to dating my girlfriend

 

[UNITED ACADEMY]

Back then in his era, there were some overrated Argentine and he was one of them. To be fair Argentine had lot of great footballers in that era too which is probably why he failed to live up with the great expectation. He would have been more appreciated in today's Argentine era.

 

[jesperjaap]

Talent-wise he was somewhere between John Fashanu and Beppe Signori.

Nearer JOhn Fashanau, Signori was a very talented player that stood out when Serie A had the best league in the world by a huge margin

 

[Eckers99]

Jeez. Not heard him mentioned in a while.

Spoiler

Not seen that in a while either.

 

[Chief123]

It would be interesting to play it again now to be fair. I used to play that game all day and night. So much so in fact I preferred playing that to dating my girlfriend

My life was all about Championship/Football manager for about 10 years!

My last year of uni was me and my uni mates playing every night and then all nighters to do assignments at the last minute!

 

[TsuWave]

CM legend

 

[GifLord]

I remember him being hyped up like crazy when Barca bought him.

 

[Jacob]

I had posters of him on my walls as a kid. Really liked him and Rivaldo.

 

[lemmiwink]

Unplayable on his day. Which was at least twice. Never really became the player everyone thought he would become.

 

[Red00012]

Championship manager legend

Real life - not so much

 

[Frasbul]

The Argentinian Morientes.

 

[MileStolar]

I was a kid back then, but I recall him playing alongside Kluivert in Barcelona. Raul & Morientes vs Kluivert & Saviola

 

[Rocksy]

He was decent but came to Europe as a goal machine, but ended up more as a link/system player. His scoring a bit less than 1 in 2 for Barca wasn’t a big deal, he was there in his peak years and playing a lot. He was never as good as Gudjohnsen as a link man, or Larsson as a goalscorer. The hype around him at the start was massive though...

 

[Tarrou]

to this day I overrate him because of Champ

I was just watching that highlights clip thinking how underwhelming it was for a player with finishing, pace, dribbling, strength and stamina all 20

 

[Bondi77]

Never heard of him.

 

[Gio]

3 reasons for me that he never delivered on the early promise:

1. His type of centre-forward was becoming phased out of the game in the 2000s. As 4-2-3-1 and 4-5-1 gripped the game, there was limited room for the little guy up front. The prevailing systems required the target man who could hold the ball up with their back to goal. From the traditional two-man strike partnerships of the 4-4-2 and 3-5-2 it was the slippery striker who played off the shoulder who was sacrificed. And the bulk of Saviola’s career fell before attacking and possession-based football was embraced by the majority. He’d shown for Argentina in 2006 that he could shine when surrounded by like-minded players in an attacking system that played to his strengths, where he could slide onto the end of Riqeulme through balls. Much of that possession game was out of fashion through most of the decade. The national team’s principles of play under Bielsa and Pekerman became more common in club football in the 2010s, unfortunately once Saviola was finishing up. Right man, wrong time.
2. Poor career choices. He stayed on the bench of big clubs for too long, when he could have been the main man at a second tier side. He was 27 before he left for Benfica.
3. Simply as has been said before, he wasn’t quite good enough to justify the hype that comes from a South American player of the year award at 17.
   
   

 

[amolbhatia50k]

.

This brought the worlds' spotlight upon the young man who finally earned a dream move in 2001 to Barcelona. He played 123 games in total, putting the ball between the posts 49 times (a better record than Henrik Larsson, Eidur Gudjohnsen AND Giovanni Dos Santos)

For some reason though he is yet to be placed in the pantheon of footballing gods.

Seems you don't have to do all that much to be placed along the footballing "gods". I mean Gudjohnsen and Dos Santos were hardly ones themselves. Maybe we're bugging up good /decent players a bit much?

 

[JJ12]

Failed a little less than Pato to living up to the hype.

 

[Bobski]

An inferior version of Gabriel Jesus.

 

[Pocho]

Loved him when he was at River Plate, he left too young to Barcelona. He was good at first and then he was only decent.