Gremio have enjoyed various accomplishments throughout their history, having also seen some of the best players in Brazilian football don their uniform. However, unlike teams like São Paulo (which had Rogério Ceni for a long time), Gremio celebrated a goal scored by a goalkeeper only once.
It happened in 2007, when Sebastián Saja netted a penalty kick in a league match against Figueirense. The Argentine goalkeeper, who had already excelled as a penalty taker (and, of course, as a penalty saver) at San Lorenzo de Almagro, had a great season with the Tricolor gaúcho that year.
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Saja’s outstanding year with Gremio
With no room in San Lorenzo after the arrival of Ramón Díaz by then, Saja packed his bags to experience his first stint in Brazil. Far from facing difficulties, he settled in immediately and secured a place in the starting eleven, leading the team to the final of the Copa Libertadores. Although Gremio couldn’t overcome Boca Juniors, who were led by an inspired Juan Román Riquelme, the “Chino” left a lasting impression.
O ÚNICO GOL DE GOLEIRO DA HISTÓRIA DO GRÊMIO
Bola pra um lado, goleiro pro outro. Sebastian Saja – 2007
(O Grêmio tomou a virada) pic.twitter.com/hZS1kzlWHS
— Museu de Memes do Grêmio (@museu_gremio) March 1, 2020
In total, Saja played 44 matches for the Porto Alegre-based outfit, conceding 47 goals and keeping 18 clean sheets. The already retired goalkeeper is currently serving as the goalkeeping coach for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami.
