1. Overview
Luis Fernando Saritama Padilla, born on October 20, 1983, in Loja, Ecuador, is an Ecuadorian former professional footballer of Japanese descent. Primarily playing as an attacking midfielder, Saritama is renowned for his extensive career across various clubs in Ecuador and Peru, as well as a significant period in the Mexican League. He notably served as captain for Deportivo Quito, leading the club to three Ecuadorian Serie A championships in 2008, 2009, and 2011. His club career also included a Clausura championship with Alianza Lima in Peru and stints with prominent Mexican clubs like UANL Tigres and Club América. Internationally, Saritama represented the Ecuador national team at both youth and senior levels, participating in the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
2. Personal history
Luis Fernando Saritama Padilla's personal background and early professional steps laid the foundation for his distinguished football career.
2.1. Birth and upbringing
Luis Fernando Saritama Padilla was born on October 20, 1983, in Loja, Ecuador. He is an Ecuadorian national and is noted to be of Japanese descent. Standing at 68 in (172 cm), he developed his football skills in his home country before embarking on a professional career.
2.2. Early career
Saritama began his professional football journey with Deportivo Quito, making his debut with the club in 2001. From this initial step, he would go on to play for numerous clubs across Central and South America, establishing himself as a prominent figure in the region's football scene.
3. Club career
Luis Fernando Saritama's club career spanned over two decades, marked by multiple tenures at Deportivo Quito and significant spells with other clubs in Ecuador, Peru, and Mexico.
3.1. Deportivo Quito
Saritama's first professional tenure with Deportivo Quito began in 2001 and lasted until 2004. After a brief period with Alianza Lima, he returned to Deportivo Quito in 2005. Despite being only 22 years old, he was entrusted with the captaincy of Deportivo Quito, the only club in his native Ecuador where he held this role. During this period, his consistent performances earned him more regular call-ups to the national team, making him a clear candidate for Ecuador's squad for the 2006 FIFA World Cup. He played a crucial role in helping Deportivo Quito secure their third historic league title in December 2008. He would later contribute to two more Serie A championships with the club in 2009 and 2011, solidifying his legacy as a key player in Deportivo Quito's golden era.
3.2. Alianza Lima
In 2004, Saritama had a brief but impactful stint in the Peruvian first division with Alianza Lima. He joined the team alongside his compatriot Jhonny Baldeón. Both players played pivotal roles in Alianza Lima's successful run to the finals, ultimately becoming the Clausura champions. Saritama returned to Alianza Lima in 2007, staying with the team until the end of that year. This return was part of a loan spell from Club América, and his performance during this period was considered impressive.
3.3. Mexican League
Saritama's career included significant periods in the Mexican League with UANL Tigres and Club América, two prominent clubs in Mexican football.
3.3.1. UANL Tigres
On July 25, 2006, immediately after the FIFA World Cup, Saritama signed with UANL Tigres. This club was also home to Iván Hurtado, Ecuador's long-serving national team captain. Despite being one of the most popular players at Tigres, Saritama experienced a challenging season as the team struggled, finishing last in their group and consistently conceding a high number of goals. Although he managed to score a few goals during his time there, it became evident that the new coach, Mario Carrillo (who had succeeded Luis Fernando Tena due to poor results), did not intend to integrate him into the team's future plans.
3.3.2. Club América
Following his time with Tigres, Saritama was transferred to the historic Mexican club Club América during the winter transfer window. His primary purpose for this transfer was to reinforce the team for their Copa Libertadores 2007 campaign. His contract, intended to tie him to the Estadio Azteca for four years, initially stipulated that he would only participate in Copa Libertadores matches. However, the Mexican club later allowed him to play in official Liga MX matches. In January 2007, Saritama scored a goal on his debut with América against Peruvian club Sporting Cristal in the first round of the Copa Libertadores. Despite this early success, after six months with the club, it became clear that he was not consistently producing positive results, leading to his loan to the traditional Peruvian powerhouse, Alianza Lima.
3.4. LDU Quito
Saritama was formally introduced as a new player for LDU Quito on January 3, 2013, having signed a three-year contract. His official debut for LDU Quito occurred on January 23, 2013, in a 1-0 home victory against Grêmio in a 2013 Copa Libertadores play-off match. After playing 11 league matches, Saritama scored his first goal for LDU Quito on April 14, 2013, contributing to a 3-0 away win against Macará. He remained with LDU Quito until 2015.
3.5. Later career
After his spell with LDU Quito, Saritama's career saw him move between several clubs, including multiple returns to his original team, Deportivo Quito. On February 11, 2014, it was confirmed that Saritama would join Ecuadorian giants Barcelona on a one-year loan. Following less successful runs with LDU Quito and Barcelona, Saritama made another return to his first club, Deportivo Quito, on March 2, 2015. He continued to play for Deportivo Quito in 2015, and later had stints with Deportivo Cuenca from 2016 to 2018. He made further returns to Deportivo Quito in 2018, playing for them until 2019, and again in 2020 and 2021. On January 17, 2019, Saritama joined C.D. Independiente Juniors, where he played until 2020. In 2020, he also played for Liberta FC.
4. International career
Luis Fernando Saritama had a distinguished international career, representing Ecuador at various youth levels before becoming a key player for the senior national team, including participation in two FIFA World Cups.
4.1. Youth teams
Saritama played for every age group of the Ecuador youth national teams. He frequently served as captain for several of these teams, where he consistently demonstrated exceptional passing and playmaking abilities, skills that would become hallmarks of his senior career.
4.2. Senior national team
Saritama made his international debut for the Ecuador national team in 2003, in a match against Peru held in New Jersey. As an attacking midfielder, he was selected to represent Ecuador at the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. During 2006, he also played in international matches against Brazil in Sweden, Mexico in Oakland, and the United States in Tampa Bay. He later participated in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Over his international career from 2003 to 2014, Saritama earned 49 caps for the national team, though he did not score any goals.
| Year | Appearances | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2003 | 2 | 0 |
| 2004 | 2 | 0 |
| 2005 | 7 | 0 |
| 2006 | 4 | 0 |
| 2007 | 2 | 0 |
| 2008 | 1 | 0 |
| 2009 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | 3 | 0 |
| 2011 | 13 | 0 |
| 2012 | 6 | 0 |
| 2013 | 8 | 0 |
| 2014 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 49 | 0 |
5. Playing style and position
Luis Fernando Saritama primarily played as a midfielder, specializing as an attacking midfielder. Throughout his career, he was consistently praised for his fine passing range and exceptional playmaking ability. These attributes allowed him to dictate the tempo of matches, create scoring opportunities for his teammates, and serve as a crucial link between the defense and attack.
6. Honours
Luis Fernando Saritama's career was marked by several significant club achievements, particularly with Deportivo Quito and Alianza Lima.
6.1. Club
- Deportivo Quito
- Serie A: 2008, 2009, 2011
- Alianza Lima
- Clausura: 2004
Luis Fernando Saritama in 2015.