Louis Saha facts for kids
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Saha in 2015
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Louis Laurent Saha | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 8 August 1978 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Paris, France | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.85 m | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Striker | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1990–1995 | Soisy-Andilly-Margency | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 1992–1995 | Clairefontaine | |||||||||||||||||||||
| 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) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1998–1999 | France U21 | 12 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 2004–2012 | France | 20 | (4) | |||||||||||||||||||
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Honours
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Louis Laurent Saha (born 8 August 1978) is a French former professional footballer. He played as a striker, which means he was a forward player who mainly focused on scoring goals.
Saha played 20 times for the French national team. He scored four goals for his country. He started his football journey at the Clairefontaine academy. Then, he began his senior career at Metz in France. He also had a loan spell at Newcastle United in England.
In 2000, Saha joined Fulham. He quickly became their main striker. He helped Fulham get promoted to the Premier League in his first season. His great performances caught the eye of Manchester United. They signed him for about £12.4 million in 2004.
At Manchester United, Louis Saha won many big trophies. These included two Premier League titles and the UEFA Champions League in 2008. He also won the League Cup in 2006. He was the top scorer in that competition. Even though he had many injuries, his teammate Wayne Rooney said Saha was one of his favorite strike partners.
After four and a half years at Manchester United, Saha moved to Everton. In the 2009 FA Cup Final, he scored a goal after just 25 seconds. This set a record for the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history! Saha played for France in UEFA Euro 2004 and the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Contents
Early Life & Family
Louis Saha was born in Paris, France. His parents came from Guadeloupe, an island that is part of France. His grandparents still live there. Louis has a younger sister and a younger brother. He shared that his family raised them with a strong Caribbean culture.
His father worked as an aircraft mechanic, and his mother was a nurse. Growing up in Paris, Saha's family didn't have much money. This taught him to appreciate everything he had. Later, he bought his parents a house in the West Indies. He also helped them pay off their debts. Saha's father wanted him to balance football with his schoolwork. He supported Louis in becoming a great footballer and a responsible person.
Club Career Highlights
Starting at Metz
Saha began playing football at a local club called Soisy-Andilly-Margency. Then he joined the famous Clairefontaine academy. At 15, he moved to Metz. He signed his first professional contract with Metz when he was 17. Saha joined the senior team in 1997.
He made his first game appearance for Metz on 8 August 1997. He came on as a substitute and scored a goal in a 4–1 win. Metz finished second in the league that season. In the 1998–99 season, he played fewer games.
Loan to Newcastle United
In January 1999, Saha went on loan to Newcastle United. He scored one goal in 11 league games. He also scored in the FA Cup run. However, he was not chosen to play in the final match. Saha later said his time at Newcastle taught him to work harder. It also helped him gain confidence as a player.
Success at Fulham
Louis Saha returned to England in 2000. He joined Fulham for £2.1 million. His manager, Jean Tigana, believed he would be a very good player. Saha quickly made a big impact. He scored in his first game for Fulham. He became the team's main striker.
In the 2000–01 season, Saha scored 27 league goals. This made him the league's top scorer. His goals helped Fulham win promotion to the Premier League. He scored 32 goals in all competitions that season. Because of his great performance, Saha was named to the PFA Team of the Year.
In the 2001–02 season, Saha scored three goals in Fulham's first two Premier League matches. He was named Premier League Player of the Month in August 2001. He continued to be a key player for Fulham. However, injuries affected his playing time in the 2002–03 season. He still scored seven goals in 28 games.
In the 2003–04 season, Saha started very well. He scored 15 goals in just 22 games. His strong performances, especially against Manchester United, made them want to sign him. Saha left Fulham in January 2004. He scored 63 goals for the club in nearly four years.
Joining Manchester United
Saha moved to Manchester United in 2004. The transfer fee was £12.4 million. He scored on his first game for United against Southampton. His manager, Alex Ferguson, praised his performance. He scored seven goals in his first ten games for United.
The 2004–05 season was tough for Saha due to many injuries. He played only 22 games and scored two goals. However, in the 2005–06 season, he returned stronger. He scored six goals in the League Cup run. He even scored in the final against Wigan Athletic. He finished the season with 15 goals in 30 games.
For the 2006–07 season, Saha became a regular starter alongside Wayne Rooney. He started the season by scoring in the first game against Fulham. He scored 13 goals in all competitions that season. He helped Manchester United win the Premier League title.
In the 2007–08 season, Saha continued to struggle with injuries. However, he scored important goals when he played. He scored the winning goal against Sunderland. He also scored twice against Sunderland on Boxing Day. Manchester United won the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League that season. Saha played a part in their success. Despite his injuries, Saha scored 42 goals in 120 games for Manchester United.
Moving to Everton
In 2008, Saha joined Everton. He signed a two-year contract. He made his debut for Everton in September. He scored his first goal against his old club, Fulham. In the 2009 FA Cup Final, Saha scored after only 25 seconds. This was the fastest goal in FA Cup Final history! Even though Chelsea won the game, Saha's goal was a memorable moment. He scored 8 goals in 29 games that season.
In the 2009–10 season, Saha continued his good form. He scored 15 goals in 40 games. He signed a new contract with Everton in February 2010. In the 2010–11 season, he scored four goals in one game against Blackpool. This was his first hat-trick in the Premier League. He ended the season with 9 goals in 26 games. Saha left Everton having scored 35 goals in 115 games.
Short Spells at Tottenham, Sunderland, and Lazio
On 31 January 2012, Saha moved to Tottenham Hotspur. He signed a six-month contract. He scored twice in his second game for Tottenham. He scored four goals in 12 games for the club.
On 16 August 2012, Saha signed a one-year deal with Sunderland. He played 14 games but did not score any goals. His contract ended in January 2013.
On 6 February 2013, Saha joined Italian club Lazio. He played six games for Lazio. He was released at the end of his short contract.
After Football
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On his 35th birthday, 8 August 2013, Louis Saha announced he was retiring from professional football. He has played in charity matches since then. He played for Manchester United Legends against Barcelona Legends in 2017.
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After retiring, Saha created a special network for athletes and entertainers called AxisStars. He also published his first book, Thinking Inside the Box?.
Playing for France
Saha played for France at different youth levels. He scored the winning goal in the 1997 UEFA European Under-18 Championship.
In 2004, Saha played his first full game for the French national team. He scored a goal in a 2–0 win against Belgium. That summer, he was chosen for the UEFA Euro 2004 squad. He also scored against Andorra.
Two years later, Saha was called up for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He helped France reach the final match. However, he couldn't play in the final against Italy. This was because he received a yellow card in the semi-final game. After the World Cup, he scored two more goals for France in 2006.
Saha returned to the national team in 2010 after a long break. He played his last game for France in 2012 against Germany.
Personal Life
Louis Saha speaks both French and English very well. He learned English after moving to Fulham in 2000.
He has three children: Stanley, Enzo, and Lou. Saha now lives in the south of France.
Career Statistics
Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | League cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Metz | 1997–98 | Division 1 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 26 | 1 | |
| 1998–99 | Division 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| 1999–2000 | Division 1 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 8 | — | 35 | 12 | ||
| Total | 47 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 67 | 13 | ||
| Newcastle United (loan) | 1998–99 | Premier League | 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 12 | 2 | |
| Fulham | 2000–01 | First Division | 43 | 27 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | — | — | 48 | 32 | ||
| 2001–02 | Premier League | 36 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 44 | 9 | |||
| 2002–03 | Premier League | 17 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | — | 28 | 7 | ||
| 2003–04 | Premier League | 21 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 22 | 15 | |||
| Total | 117 | 53 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 142 | 63 | ||
| Manchester United | 2003–04 | Premier League | 12 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 7 |
| 2004–05 | Premier League | 14 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | 22 | 2 | ||
| 2005–06 | Premier League | 19 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 0 | — | 30 | 15 | ||
| 2006–07 | Premier League | 24 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 4 | — | 34 | 13 | ||
| 2007–08 | Premier League | 17 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 24 | 5 | |
| Total | 86 | 28 | 10 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 19 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 124 | 42 | ||
| Everton | 2008–09 | Premier League | 24 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 29 | 8 | |
| 2009–10 | Premier League | 33 | 13 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 2 | — | 40 | 15 | ||
| 2010–11 | Premier League | 22 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 26 | 10 | |||
| 2011–12 | Premier League | 18 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 20 | 2 | |||
| Total | 97 | 27 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 115 | 35 | ||
| Tottenham Hotspur | 2011–12 | Premier League | 10 | 3 | 2 | 1 | — | — | — | 12 | 4 | |||
| Sunderland | 2012–13 | Premier League | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 0 | ||
| Lazio | 2012–13 | Serie A | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 6 | 0 | ||
| Career total | 385 | 117 | 36 | 12 | 24 | 15 | 47 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 492 | 159 | ||
International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | 2004 | 8 | 2 |
| 2005 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2006 | 10 | 2 | |
| 2007 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | |
| Total | 20 | 4 | |
- Scores and results list France's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Saha goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18 February 2004 | King Baudouin Stadium, Brussels, Belgium |  Belgium |
2–0 | 2–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | 28 May 2004 | Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier, France |  Andorra |
3–0 | 4–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | 2 September 2006 | Boris Paichadze National Stadium, Tbilisi, Georgia |  Georgia |
1–0 | 3–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
| 4 | 11 October 2006 | Stade Auguste Bonal, Montbéliard, France |  Faroe Islands |
1–0 | 5–0 | UEFA Euro 2008 qualifying |
Honours and Awards
Fulham
- Football League First Division: 2000–01
- UEFA Intertoto Cup: 2002
Manchester United
- Premier League: 2006–07, 2007–08
- Football League Cup: 2005–06
- UEFA Champions League: 2007–08
Everton
- FA Cup runner-up: 2008–09
France U18
- UEFA European Under-18 Championship: 1997
France
- FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2006
Individual Awards
- PFA Team of the Year: 2000–01 First Division
- Premier League Player of the Month: August 2001
Images for kids
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Saha in 2015
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Saha, just after signing for Fulham, in a pre-season friendly against Tiverton Town in 2000
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Saha, scorer of United's second goal, pictured during the 3–1 Manchester derby win on 9 December 2006.
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Saha (right) alongside Sylvain Distin with Everton in 2009
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Saha warming up prior to Everton's match against Fulham in 2009
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Saha coming on for his Sunderland debut as a substitute
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Saha playing alongside Jesper Blomqvist during Manchester United's charity match against Barcelona on 2 September 2017
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Saha speaking at the Web Summit in 2016
See also
In Spanish: Louis Saha para niños
