.jpg) Saha in 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Louis Laurent Saha[1] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 August 1978[2] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Paris, France | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[3] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position(s) | Striker | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1995 | Soisy-Andilly-Margency | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1995 | Clairefontaine[4] | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1995–1997 | Metz | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1997–2000 | Metz | 47 | (5) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 1999 | → Newcastle United (loan) | 11 | (1) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2000–2004 | Fulham | 117 | (53) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2008 | Manchester United | 86 | (28) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2008–2012 | Everton | 97 | (27) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012 | Tottenham Hotspur | 10 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2012–2013 | Sunderland | 11 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013 | Lazio | 6 | (0) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Total | 385 | (117) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| International career | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | France U21 | 12 | (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2012 | France | 20 | (4) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||||||||||||||||||||||
Louis Laurent Saha (born 8 August 1978) is a French former professional footballer who played as a striker. Saha was capped 20 times for the France national team and scored four goals. A former scholar at the Clairefontaine football academy, he started his career at Metz before playing on loan at Newcastle United. Before the start of the 2000–01 season, Saha moved to Fulham where he established himself as first-choice striker, helping them to gain promotion to the Premier League in his first season with them.
His performances gained attraction from Manchester United, who eventually secured his signing for around £12.4 million midway through the 2003–04 season. Injuries plagued his Old Trafford career, however he enjoyed major success including winning the Premier League title twice, the UEFA Champions League in 2008, and the League Cup in 2006 where he was the top scorer in the competition and netted in the final. Despite Saha's injury woes, United star Wayne Rooney stated on Sky Sports that Saha was one of his favourite strike partners.[5]
After four and a half years at United, Everton took him to Goodison Park, where he opened the scoring in the 2009 FA Cup Final after 25 seconds, setting the record for the fastest goal scored in FA Cup Final history.
Saha made his France debut in 2004, in a 2–0 victory over Belgium. He represented France at UEFA Euro 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
- ^ "Premier League clubs submit squad lists" (PDF). Premier League. 4 September 2012. p. 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 March 2016.
- ^ "Louis Saha: Profile". worldfootball.net. HEIM:SPIEL. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
- ^ "Louis Saha: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
- ^ "INF, formateur de talents" (in French). French Football Federation. Archived from the original on 14 November 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2009.
- ^ Cox, James. "Wayne Rooney's favourite striking partner will surprise fans". Buzz.ie. Retrieved 4 January 2020.