Saba Lobzhanidze

Saba Lobjanidze (Georgian: საბა ლობჟანიძე, romanized: saba lobzhanidze, pronounced [saba lobʒanidze]; born 18 December 1994) is a Georgian professional footballer who plays for Major League Soccer club Atlanta United and the Georgia national team.

Saba Lobzhanidze
Lobzhanidze with Randers
Personal information
Date of birth (1994-12-18) 18 December 1994
Place of birth Tbilisi, Georgia
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Left winger
Team information
Current team
 Atlanta United
Number 9
Youth career
2004–2007 Norchi Dinamoeli
2007–2009 Tbilisi
2009–2013 Dinamo Tbilisi
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2013–2014 Dinamo Tbilisi II 19 (5)
2014–2017 Dinamo Tbilisi 59 (12)
2016 → Chikhura Sachkhere (loan) 11 (10)
2017–2019 Randers 84 (28)
2020–2021 MKE Ankaragücü 52 (4)
2021–2023 Hatayspor 61 (9)
2023 → Fatih Karagumruk (loan) 10 (2)
2023– Atlanta United 28 (7)
International career‡
2012–2013 Georgia U19 4 (0)
2014–2016 Georgia U21 8 (3)
2017– Georgia 36 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 3 June 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 19:55, 22 June 2024 (UTC).

Club career

Born in Tbilisi, Lobzhanidze started playing for Norchi Dinamoeli at the age of 10. Later he joined Dinamo Tbilisi.

In June 2017, Lobzhanidze signed a three-year contract with Randers.[1] In April 2018, in six games Lobjhanidze scored six times for Randers, including a hat-trick against Sønderjyske, which won him the Player of the Month award among Georgian football players. Besides, he was twice named in team of the week in the Danish Superliga.[2]

On 30 January 2020, Lobzhanidze signed with Turkish club MKE Ankaragücü.[3] He made his debut on 2 February in a 1–1 league draw against Kasımpaşa.[4]

In June 2021, Lobzhanidze signed a three-year contract with Hatayspor, after Ankaragücü had relegated from the Süper Lig.[5]

Following a devastating earthquake in Turkey and subsequent withdrawal of Hatayspor from the league in February 2023, he joined Fatih Karagümrük on loan until the end of the season.[6]

In early August 2023, Lobjanidze moved to MLS club Atlanta United on a three-year deal.[7]

International career

Lobzhanidze made his debut for the Georgia national team on 23 January 2017 in a friendly against Uzbekistan, scoring one of the two goals of his team.[8]

Career statistics

Club
As of match played 2 June 2024[9]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup[lower-alpha 1] Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Dinamo Tbilisi II 2012–13 Pirveli Liga 10–––10
2013–14 Pirveli Liga 185–––185
Total 195000000195
Dinamo Tbilisi 2014–15 Umaglesi Liga 24161–1[lower-alpha 2]0312
2015–16 Umaglesi Liga 15210––162
2017 Erovnuli Liga 137–––137
Total 52107100106011
Chikhura (loan) 2016 Umaglesi Liga 129322[lower-alpha 3]0–1711
Randers 2017–18 Danish Superliga 29921–[lower-alpha 4]433513
2018–19 Danish Superliga 378–––378
2019–20 Danish Superliga 158–––158
Total 81252100438729
MKE Ankaragücü 2019–20 Süper Lig 151–––151
2020–21 Süper Lig 37310––383
Total 524100000534
Hatayspor 2021–22 Süper Lig 37830––408
2022–23 Süper Lig 211–––211
Total 589300000619
Fatih Karagümrük (loan) 2022–23 Süper Lig 102–––102
Atlanta United 2023 MLS 12300–3[lower-alpha 5]0153
2024 MLS 16400––164
Total 287000030317
Career total 31271164208333877
  1. Includes Georgian Cup, Danish Cup, Turkish Cup
  2. Appearance in Supercup
  3. Appearances in UEFA Europa League qualification round
  4. Appearances in play-offs
  5. Appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs

International
As of 22 June 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Georgia 201731
201820
201931
202050
202190
202270
202361
202410
Total363
Scores and results list Georgia's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Lobzhanidze goal.
List of international goals scored by Saba Lobzhanidze[10]
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
123 January 2017The Sevens Stadium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates Uzbekistan2–12–2Friendly
210 June 2019Parken Stadium, Copenhagen, Denmark Denmark1–11–5UEFA Euro 2020 qualification
325 March 2023Batumi Stadium, Batumi, Georgia Mongolia6–16–1Friendly

Honours

Dinamo Tbilisi

References
  1. "BRANDVARM GEORGIER TIL RANDERS FC" (in Danish). randersfc.dk. Retrieved 22 June 2017.
  2. "აპრილის საუკეთესო - საბა ლობჟანიძე". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). 5 May 2018.
  3. "Saba Lobjanidze solgt til Ankaragücü". randersfc.dk (in Danish). 30 January 2020. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020.
  4. "Ankaragücü vs. Kasımpaşa – 2 February 2020". Soccerway. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  5. Hoffskov, Ole (23 June 2021). "Tidligere Superliga-stjerne skifter klub". Tipsbladet.dk (in Danish).
  6. "საბა ლობჟანიძე ანდრეა პირლოს ხელმძღვანელობით ითამაშებს: ტრანსფერი დადასტურდა". worldsport.ge (in Georgian). Retrieved 18 February 2023.
  7. "Atlanta United signs winger Saba Lobjanidze from Turkish Süper Lig". atlutd.com. Retrieved 2 August 2023.
  8. "Uzbekistan draws with Georgia in friendly". The Tashkent Times. 24 January 2017.
  9. Saba Lobzhanidze at Soccerway
  10. "Lobjanidze, Saba". National Football Teams. Retrieved 28 March 2017.
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