1. Overview
Bacary Sagna (Bacary Sagnabakaʁi saɲaFrench) (바카리 사냐Bakari SanyaKorean) (born February 14, 1983) is a French former professional footballer who primarily played as a right-back, but was also occasionally deployed as a wing-back or centre-back. During his career, he was notably described by his former Arsenal manager, Arsène Wenger, as the best right-back in the Premier League. Sagna's career spanned across major European clubs including AJ Auxerre, Arsenal, and Manchester City, before concluding his professional play in Major League League with Montreal Impact. He represented the French national team from 2007 to 2016, participating in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, 2014 FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Euro 2016, where France finished as runner-up.
2. Early Life and Background
Bacary Sagna was born on February 14, 1983, in Sens, France, to Senegalese parents. His early football career began at FC Sens, where he played for their youth team until 1998. At the age of 17, Sagna expressed a desire to join the Senegal national team. He stated that he wanted to play for Senegal, but received no reply from them. Later, when he began playing for Auxerre's first team, the Senegalese team contacted him again. However, on the same day, he had a match with the France U-21 national team, forcing him to make a choice, and he opted to play for France. Throughout his career, he was often affectionately called "Bac" by his teammates.
3. Club Career
Sagna's professional club career began in France with Auxerre before he moved to England for significant spells with Arsenal and Manchester City. He later played in Italy and Canada.
3.1. Auxerre
Sagna joined Auxerre's youth team in 1998, developing his skills until 2002. He was promoted to the senior team in the 2004-05 season, replacing Johan Radet as the starting right-back. He made 87 Ligue 1 appearances for the club. Sagna was an integral part of the squad that won the Coupe de France in 2005. He also participated in the UEFA Cup in each of his three seasons with the first team, accumulating a total of 17 appearances in the competition. For his exceptional performances at right-back, he was voted into the Ligue 1 Team of the Season for the 2006-07 season and was awarded Auxerre's Player of the Year. During his time at Auxerre, he played alongside future Arsenal teammate Abou Diaby and Younès Kaboul, and became known as "Mr. Reliable" by the club's fans for his consistent displays.
3.2. Arsenal
On July 12, 2007, Sagna completed a transfer to Arsenal from Auxerre. The undisclosed fee was reported to be around 7.00 M GBP, an initial 9.00 M EUR that could rise to 11.00 M EUR. He was given the number 3 shirt, previously worn by former defender Ashley Cole.
3.2.1. 2007-08 season
Sagna made his debut for Arsenal on July 19, 2007, starting in a 3-0 friendly victory over Turkish club Gençlerbirliği in Austria. His first Premier League goal came on March 23, 2008, a low header from a corner kick against London rivals Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. He provided Arsenal with a 1-0 lead, but later left the game due to injury, and Chelsea eventually won 2-1. At the end of the season, Sagna's strong performance earned him a spot in the PFA Team of the Year. A personal tragedy struck on February 13, 2008, when his older brother, Omar Sagna, died at the age of 28, the day before Sagna's birthday. Despite this, Sagna played in the second leg of Arsenal's UEFA Champions League round of 16 match against Milan, following his father's advice. Arsenal went on to win that match 2-0, advancing on aggregate.
3.2.2. 2008-09 season
Before the start of the 2008-09 season, Sagna signed a new two-year contract extension with Arsenal, securing his commitment until 2014. He expressed his affection for the club, stating, "I love Arsenal, it's a great club. The manager is also very good and next season we will be fighting for all the trophies." In a notable moment during a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa, Sagna made a stunning overhead kick clearance on the goal line to prevent a goal, ensuring Arsenal maintained their lead going into halftime.
3.2.3. 2009-10 season
The 2009-10 season proved challenging for Sagna as he struggled to replicate his previous form, with injuries also limiting his contributions. Nevertheless, he provided several key assists, most notably a cross to striker Nicklas Bendtner in the 94th minute, which secured a 1-0 lead against Wolverhampton Wanderers. Despite his contributions, Sagna was linked with a potential move away from the club, with Serie A side Internazionale reportedly showing interest.
3.2.4. 2010-11 season
Sagna scored his first goal at the Emirates Stadium during a match against Celtic in the Emirates Cup, a game Arsenal won 3-2, clinching the trophy for the second consecutive year. On October 3, 2010, he made his 100th league start for Arsenal in a 2-0 defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. His second official goal for Arsenal came on November 14, a powerful shot from the near post in a 2-1 away victory against Everton at Goodison Park. On December 8, 2010, Sagna received his first red card of his Arsenal career in a 3-1 home victory against Serbian club Partizan in Arsenal's final Champions League group game.
On January 1, 2011, during a match against Birmingham City, Sagna was involved in an incident where Lee Bowyer stamped on him after a tackle, leading to a three-game ban for Bowyer by FA. Four days later, on January 5, Sagna received his second red card of the season when he and Manchester City fullback Pablo Zabaleta headbutted each other in the closing moments of a 0-0 draw at Emirates Stadium. On January 19, Sagna scored his second goal of the season, Arsenal's second in their 3-1 victory over Leeds United at Elland Road in a FA Cup third-round replay. This marked Sagna's career-best goal-scoring tally for a season, surpassing his single goal in 2007-08. For his strong performance in the 2010-11 season, Sagna was again included in the PFA Team of the Year.
3.2.5. 2011-12 season
Sagna started and played the full 90 minutes in Arsenal's opening 2011-12 Premier League season match against Newcastle United on August 13, 2011, resulting in a 0-0 draw. A week later, he played at left-back for the full match in a 2-0 defeat to Liverpool. He missed the match against Manchester United at Old Trafford on August 28 due to illness.
Sagna suffered a leg fracture during a North London derby against Tottenham Hotspur on October 2, 2011, after a challenge by Benoît Assou-Ekotto caused him to land awkwardly. This injury required surgery and sidelined him for approximately three months. He made his comeback on January 29, 2012, as an 89th-minute substitute against Aston Villa. On February 26, 2012, he started in the North London derby against Tottenham again, scoring a crucial header from a Mikel Arteta cross that ignited Arsenal's comeback from a 2-0 deficit to a dominant 5-2 victory. Unfortunately, Sagna sustained another leg fracture in the same leg during the final home match of the season against Norwich City on May 5, after colliding with Bradley Johnson. This injury regrettably ruled him out of UEFA Euro 2012.
3.2.6. 2012-13 season
In October 2012, Sagna returned to the first team, starting in Arsenal's 1-0 victory over Queens Park Rangers. Despite Carl Jenkinson receiving praise as his replacement during his injury, Sagna reclaimed his position as Arsenal's first-choice right-back. On November 3, he played the full 90 minutes at right-back against Manchester United at Old Trafford in a 2-1 league defeat. Due to an injury to Laurent Koscielny during warm-ups on February 9, 2013, Sagna was unexpectedly deployed as a central defender against Sunderland. Despite playing with ten men after Jenkinson's red card, Sagna contributed to a 1-0 victory. On April 28, 2013, Sagna committed a mistimed tackle inside the penalty box on Robin van Persie during a 1-1 home draw against Manchester United, conceding a penalty that leveled the score after Theo Walcott had given Arsenal an early lead.
3.2.7. 2013-14 season
Sagna began the 2013-14 season as Arsenal's primary right-back, maintaining his position over Carl Jenkinson. He scored his first goal of the season, and his fifth for Arsenal, on September 22 against Stoke City, heading in Mesut Özil's free-kick to secure a 3-1 win. On May 17, Sagna started in the 2014 FA Cup Final where Arsenal defeated Hull City 3-2 at Wembley Stadium. This marked his first trophy with the club.
On May 27, it was announced that Sagna would not extend his contract with Arsenal, which was set to expire at the end of the season. Although Arsenal offered a two-year extension, Sagna was reportedly "90 per cent certain" to leave, rejecting the offer. He later stated that he did not sign a new deal with Arsenal because "the discussions did not go in the direction that he wanted." Manchester City and several other top European clubs had expressed interest in signing him. Over his seven years at Arsenal, Sagna made a total of 284 official appearances.
3.3. Manchester City
On June 13, 2014, it was announced that Sagna had agreed to join Manchester City, the reigning Premier League champions, on a free transfer after his contract with Arsenal expired on June 30. He was City's first signing of the summer and signed a three-year deal, again taking the number 3 shirt. At Manchester City, he reunited with former Arsenal teammate Gaël Clichy. He was part of the squad that won the Football League Cup in 2016. Sagna departed the club at the end of his contract in June 2017.
3.4. Benevento
After seven months as a free agent, Sagna signed with Serie A side Benevento Calcio on February 3, 2018. He agreed to a contract until the end of the season, with an option for an additional year. Despite joining the club at the bottom of Serie A, he made 13 league appearances and scored his sole goal for Benevento, a 90th-minute header, in a 3-3 draw against Udinese on April 29. However, Benevento was relegated at the end of the season, and his contract extension option was not exercised.
3.5. Montreal Impact
On August 8, 2018, Sagna moved to Major League Soccer (MLS), signing with Montreal Impact for the remainder of the 2018 season, with an option for 2019. He joined the club under the management of Rémi Garde. He made 9 league appearances, scoring 1 goal. Although the initial option for 2019 was not taken up, Sagna subsequently signed a new one-year contract to remain with the club for the 2019 season. In 2019, he made 26 league appearances, scoring 1 goal, and contributed to Montreal Impact winning the Canadian Championship. In January 2020, it was announced that he had left the club in the previous month.
4. International Career
Bacary Sagna represented the French national football teams at various age levels and in senior competitions.
4.1. Youth Career
Sagna was part of the France U-21 team, making 12 appearances and scoring one goal. He participated in the 2006 UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship, where the team reached the semi-finals.
4.2. Senior Career
Sagna earned his first senior international cap for France on August 22, 2007, coming on as a substitute for François Clerc in a 1-0 away friendly victory against Slovakia. His competitive debut for France occurred on October 13, 2007, playing the full 90 minutes in a 6-0 away win against the Faroe Islands during the UEFA Euro 2008 qualifiers. This was his only appearance in the Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, and he was not considered for the finals due to an an injury sustained in a Premier League match against Chelsea in March 2008.
After recovering, Sagna returned to the French team for a friendly against Sweden in August 2008, playing the entire match in a 3-2 away win. He became a regular during France's qualifying campaign for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, he was part of France's "disastrous" World Cup campaign, where the team exited at the group stage after a 2-1 loss to hosts South Africa. He missed UEFA Euro 2012 due to another broken leg. Sagna also represented France in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, where the team reached the quarter-finals, and was a key player in the squad that finished as runner-up in UEFA Euro 2016 on home soil. He earned a total of 65 international caps, scoring no goals.
5. Personal Life
Bacary Sagna was born to Senegalese parents in Sens, France, and practices Islam. Standing 69 in (176 cm) tall and weighing 159 lb (72 kg), he was known for his physical presence on the field. In 2010, he married French-Algerian model and journalist Ludivine Kadri. They had their first son, Elias, in 2009, prior to their wedding ceremony on July 17, 2010, in his hometown of Yonne. Teammates and long-time friends, including Marouane Chamakh, attended the wedding. Their second son, Kais, was born in 2013. Sagna's distinctive dreadlocks were a result of a bet with his father: he would grow them if he scored two goals in a game, which he did. He later removed the extensions and sported short hair from 2015. His cousin, Ibrahima Sonko, also played professional football in England for Reading and in Turkey for Akhisar Belediyespor. On March 31, 2011, Sagna became an ambassador for Grassroot Soccer, an international non-profit organization that leverages the power of football to educate, inspire, and mobilize communities in the fight against HIV. Sagna also used Twitter to communicate with his fans.
6. Retirement
Bacary Sagna officially announced his retirement from professional football in 2019 at the age of 36.
7. Honours
Auxerre
- Coupe de France: 2004-05
Arsenal
- FA Cup: 2013-14
- Football League Cup runner-up: 2010-11
Manchester City
- EFL Cup: 2015-16
Montreal Impact
- Canadian Championship: 2019
Individual
- UNFP Ligue 1 Team of the Year: 2006-07
- Auxerre Player of the Season: 2006-07
- PFA Team of the Year: 2007-08 Premier League, 2010-11 Premier League
8. Career Statistics
8.1. Club
| Club | Season | League | National cup | Continental | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Auxerre | 2004-05 | Ligue 1 | 26 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 43 | 0 |
| 2005-06 | Ligue 1 | 23 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 27 | 0 | |
| 2006-07 | Ligue 1 | 38 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 51 | 0 | |
| Total | 87 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 21 | 0 | 121 | 0 | ||
| Arsenal | 2007-08 | Premier League | 29 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 40 | 1 |
| 2008-09 | Premier League | 35 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 49 | 0 | |
| 2009-10 | Premier League | 35 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 44 | 0 | |
| 2010-11 | Premier League | 33 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 43 | 2 | |
| 2011-12 | Premier League | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 29 | 1 | |
| 2012-13 | Premier League | 25 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 31 | 0 | |
| 2013-14 | Premier League | 35 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 48 | 1 | |
| Total | 213 | 4 | 24 | 1 | 47 | 0 | 284 | 5 | ||
| Manchester City | 2014-15 | Premier League | 9 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 16 | 0 |
| 2015-16 | Premier League | 28 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 45 | 0 | |
| 2016-17 | Premier League | 17 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 25 | 0 | |
| Total | 54 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 86 | 0 | ||
| Benevento | 2017-18 | Serie A | 13 | 1 | - | - | 13 | 1 | ||
| Montreal Impact | 2018 | Major League Soccer | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | 9 | 1 | |
| 2019 | Major League Soccer | 26 | 1 | 5 | 0 | - | 31 | 1 | ||
| Total | 35 | 2 | 5 | 0 | - | 40 | 2 | |||
| Career total | 402 | 7 | 54 | 1 | 88 | 0 | 544 | 8 | ||
8.2. International
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| France | |||
| 2007 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2008 | 4 | 0 | |
| 2009 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2010 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2011 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2013 | 6 | 0 | |
| 2014 | 7 | 0 | |
| 2015 | 9 | 0 | |
| 2016 | 11 | 0 | |
| Total | 65 | 0 | |