Ignacio Saavedra

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Saavedra and the second or maternal family name is Pinto.

Ignacio Antonio Saavedra Pino (born 12 January 1999) is a Chilean professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Russian club Sochi.

Ignacio Saavedra

Saavedra with Universidad Católica in 2023
Personal information
Full name	Ignacio Antonio Saavedra Pinto
Date of birth	(1999-01-12) 12 January 1999 (age 26)
Place of birth	Santiago, Chile
Height	1.72 m (5 ft 8 in)
Position(s)	Central midfielder
Team information
Current team	Sochi
Number	6
Youth career
2006–2012	Colo-Colo
2012–2018	Universidad Católica
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2018–2023	Universidad Católica	135	(0)
2024–	Sochi	49	(2)
International career‡
2015	Chile U17	4	(0)
2018	Chile U20	5	(0)
2021–	Chile	3	(0)
Medal record Men's football Representing  Chile South American Games 2018 Cochabamba
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 10 August 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 27 March 2021

Club career

Beginnings

Ignacio was born into a family linked to sports. At six years old, he started participating in the Colo-Colo Academy, and at 13 he moved to the youth ranks of rivals Universidad Católica. His talents quickly caught the attention of both club and nation, getting called up to the Chile U20 squad.^[1]

Universidad Católica

After the arrival of the Spanish coach Beñat San José, Saavedra made his professional debut on August 4, 2018, in a match against Everton. He played 88 minutes in a 2–1 win. From there on, he has maintained a steady flux of starts in the defensive midfield position, amassing 131 official career appearances with the club.

Sochi

On 24 January 2024, Saavedra signed a contract with Russian Premier League club Sochi.^[2]

International career

He represented Chile U17 at the 2015 FIFA U-17 World Cup, reaching the second stage and proving his reliability by playing all the matches.^[3] At under-20 level, Saavedra represented Chile in the 2018 South American Games, winning the gold medal.^[4]

At senior level, after being called up to some training microcycles by both Reinaldo Rueda^[5] and Martín Lasarte,^[6] making his international debut in the friendly match against Bolivia on March 26, 2021, at the 87th minute.^[7]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 10 August 2025^[8]

Club	Season	League			National Cup		Continental		Other		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Universidad Católica	2018	Primera División	13	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	13	0
	2019	Primera División	9	0	4	0	2[a]	0	0	0	15	0
	2020	Primera División	32	0	—		11[b]	0	1[c]	0	44	0
	2021	Primera División	28	0	2	0	8[d]	0	1[c]	0	39	0
	2022	Primera División	25	0	6	0	6[e]	0	0	0	37	0
	2023	Primera División	28	0	5	0	1[f]	0	0	0	34	0
	Total		135	0	17	0	28	0	2	0	182	0
Sochi	2023–24	Russian Premier League	12	1	1	0	—		—		13	1
	2024–25	Russian First League	33	1	3	0	—		2[g]	0	38	1
	2025–26	Russian Premier League	4	0	0	0	—		—		4	0
	Total		49	2	4	0	—		2	0	55	2
Career total			184	2	21	0	28	0	4	0	237	2

1. 1 appearances in the Copa Libertadores, 1 in the Copa Sudamericana
2. 5 appearances in the Copa Libertadores, 6 in the Copa Sudamericana
3. Appearance(s) in the Supercopa de Chile
4. Appearance(s) in the Copa Libertadores
5. 4 appearances in Copa Libertadores, 2 in Copa Sudamericana
6. Appearances in Copa Sudamericana
7. Appearances in promotion play-offs

International

As of 12 December 2021.^[8]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Chile	2021	3	0
Total		3	0

Honours

Universidad Católica

• Primera División: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
• Supercopa de Chile: 2019, 2020, 2021

Chile U20

• South American Games Gold medal: 2018