Alejandro Sabella

Argentine association football player and manager (1954-2020)

Alejandro Javier Sabella (local pronunciation: [saˈβela]; 5 November 1954 – 8 December 2020) was an Argentine football player and manager.

Alejandro Sabella
Sabella in 2014
Personal information
Full name Alejandro Sabella
Date of birth (1954-11-05)5 November 1954
Place of birth Buenos Aires, Argentina
Date of death 8 December 2020(2020-12-08) (aged 66)
Place of death Buenos Aires, Argentina
Height 1.71 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s) Midfielder
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1974–1978 River Plate 117 (11)
1978–1980 Sheffield United 76 (8)
1980–1981 Leeds United 23 (2)
1982–1987 Estudiantes (LP) 149 (10)
1985Grêmio (loan) 10 (0)
1987–1988 Ferro Carril Oeste 27 (2)
1988–1989 Irapuato 31 (0)
Total 433 (33)
National team
1983–1984 Argentina 8 (0)
Teams managed
2009–2011 Estudiantes
2011–2014 Argentina
Honours
 Argentina
Runner-up FIFA World Cup 2014
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

He began his playing career with River Plate. He moved to England in 1978 to play for Sheffield United.

Sabella was known as "Alex" while in England. He played for Leeds United, before returning to South America and representing Estudiantes, Grêmio, Ferro Carril Oeste and Irapuato.

From 1983 to 1984, he managed the national team.

Sabella died of heart failure caused by a virus on 8 December 2020 at a hospital in Buenos Aires, aged 66.[1]

Honours change

 
Sabella celebrates after winning the Apertura title with Estudiantes in 2010.

Player change

River Plate

Estudiantes (LP)

Grêmio

Manager change

Estudiantes (LP)

Argentina

References change

  1. "Murió Alejandro Sabella, un símbolo de la sobriedad y la jerarquía en la elite del fútbol". www.clarin.com. 8 December 2020.