Playing position Nationality Guatemalan | Number 18 Height 1.8 m Weight 77 kg | |
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Full name Rodrigo Saravia Samayoa Date of birth (1993-02-22) 22 February 1993 (age 24) Date joined 2016 (Columbus Crew SC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds) Profiles | ||
Rodrigo saravia highlights 2015
Rodrigo Saravia (born 22 February 1993) is a Guatemalan footballer who plays as a midfielder for IK Frej on loan from Columbus Crew SC in Major League Soccer.
Contents
- Rodrigo saravia highlights 2015
- fgcu msoc rodrigo saravia mls superdraft selection
- Youth and college
- Professional
- International career
- International career statistics
- References
fgcu msoc rodrigo saravia mls superdraft selection
Youth and college
Savaria was born in Guatemala City. As a youth in Guatemala, he played for Antigua GFC. He played for Antigua's youth teams for two seasons and was a standout in the midfield before being recruited to play college soccer in the United States. Between 2012 and 2015, Saravia played for the Eagles of Florida Gulf Coast University. Over that time he made 67 appearances for the team, tallying two goals and seven assists. He was named an Atlantic Sun Conference First Team selection in 2014 and 2015 and a Second Team selection in 2013. In 2015, he was named the ASC Player of the Year as a senior. Throughout his college career, he helped lead FGCU to the A-Sun regular-season championships during each of his four years, a pair of A-Sun Tournament titles, and two berths in the NCAA Championship. He was previously also recruited by Boston College, Virginia Commonwealth University, North Carolina State University, and Rutgers University.
Professional
In 2014, Saravia was scouted by Columbus Crew SC of Major League Soccer. Savaria was one of 59 players invited to the 2016 MLS Combine in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In the process, he became the first-ever Florida Gulf Coast player invited to the combine and only the third-ever Atlantic Sun player invited to the event since 2007. The Columbus Crew, who were 2015 MLS Cup runners-up, selected him with the 19th overall pick in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft following his performance at the MLS Combine. About the player, head coach Gregg Berhalter said, "He is very poised and controlled, a very smart, simple player, and very good technically.” It was expected that Saravia would fill a void left by out-of-contract Trinidad and Tobago international Kevan George. It was anticipated that Saravia would see the field during the 2016 Major League Soccer season. On 4 February 2016, it was announced that he had signed a professional contract with the club, becoming the 12th Guatemalan to sign for an MLS club in league history.
Saravia made his professional debut on 16 April 2016 in a 3–2 victory over New York City FC, coming on as a substitute for Mohammed Saeid in the 90+5'.
On 10 August 2016, it was announced that Saravia and two teammates were loaned to the Crew's USL affiliates, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, on a match-by-match basis. He made his Riverhounds debut the same day against FC Montreal in a 4–1 defeat.
International career
Saravia has represented Guatemala at the U17, U20, and U23 levels. He was called up to the full senior team in summer 2015 as the only collegiate, non-professional player in the squad for a friendly match against the United States at LP Field in Nashville, Tennessee, and made the matchday roster, although he did not appear. He also spent time that summer with the U23 squad during 2015 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying. He was again called up to the senior squad for a friendly against Honduras on 10 February 2016. Saravia started and played the full 90 minutes of the 3–1 victory. He was the only foreign-based player in the squad as Guatemala head coach Walter Claveri prepared his team for upcoming 2018 World Cup qualifiers against the United States and Trinidad and Tobago. Saravia went on to appear in all four matches against the US and Trinidad and Tobago.