Alejandro Sabella

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)
1985	→ Grêmio (loan)	10	(0)
1987–1988	Ferro Carril Oeste	27	(2)
1988–1989	Irapuato	31	(0)
Total		433	(33)
International career
1983–1984	Argentina	8	(0)
Managerial career
2009–2011	Estudiantes
2011–2014	Argentina
Medal record  Argentina Runner-up FIFA World Cup 2014
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

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

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

Player

River Plate

• Primera División: 1975 Metropolitano, 1975 Nacional, 1977 Metropolitano
• Copa Libertadores runner-up: 1976

Estudiantes (LP)

• Primera División: 1982 Metropolitano, 1983 Nacional

Grêmio

• Campeonato Gaúcho: 1985, 1986

Manager

Estudiantes (LP)

• Copa Libertadores: 2009
• Primera División: 2010 Apertura
• FIFA Club World Cup runner-up: 2009
• Recopa Sudamericana runner-up: 2010

Argentina

• FIFA World Cup runner-up: 2014