Sebastián Viera

Mario Sebastián Viera Galaín (born 7 March 1983) is a Uruguayan former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Viera and the second or maternal family name is Galaín.
Sebastián Viera
Viera with Atlético Junior in 2020
Personal information
Full name Mario Sebastián Viera Galaín[1]
Date of birth (1983-03-07) 7 March 1983[1]
Place of birth Florida, Uruguay[1]
Height 1.84 m (6 ft 0 in)[1]
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2003–2005 Nacional 58 (0)
2005–2009 Villarreal 75 (0)
2009–2010 AEL 20 (0)
2011–2023 Atlético Junior 481 (11)
Total 634 (11)
International career
2004–2009 Uruguay 15 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Club career

Born in Florida, Florida Department, Viera started his professional career with Club Nacional de Football. After one sole season he was expected to move to Premier League club Arsenal in August 2005, but its manager Arsène Wenger withdrew from the deal when the player did not pass his medical.[2]

Eventually, Viera signed with Villarreal CF in Spain, moving alongside Mariano Barbosa (also a goalkeeper) on a four-year contract.[3] He would be an undisputed starter the following two seasons, although he missed both legs of the 2005–06 UEFA Champions League semi-finals against Arsenal.[4][5]

Viera eventually lost his job midway through the 2007–08 campaign to newly signed Diego López, and never regained it again – no La Liga games in 2008–09 – being released in July 2009.[6] On 11 November he signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Greek side Athlitiki Enosi Larissa FC,[7] being made eligible to play however only in January 2010; his contract was terminated in December,[8] and he joined Atlético Junior shortly after, remaining in Colombia for several years.[9][10][11]

International career

Viera made his debut for Uruguay on 18 July 2004 in a Copa América quarter-final match against Paraguay, having been called as a late replacement for injured starter Fabián Carini. He also featured in the penalty shootout loss to eventual winners Brazil.[12]

Personal life

Viera's father, also named Mario, was also a professional footballer – and a goalkeeper.[13]

Honours

Nacional

Atlético Junior

See also

References
  1. Sebastián Viera at WorldFootball.net
  2. Henry talks to start soon; Sky Sports, August 2005
  3. Viera switch ends Villarreal search; UEFA, 29 August 2005
  4. Villarreal hand gloves to Barbosa; UEFA, 7 April 2006
  5. Villarreal 0–0 Arsenal (agg 0–1); BBC Sport, 25 April 2006
  6. Sebastián Viera habla de Diego López, arquero del polémico Real Madrid (Sebastián Viera talks about Diego López, goalie of controversial Real Madrid); El Tiempo, 6 May 2013 (in Spanish)
  7. Στα βυσσινί ο Βιέρα (Viera in crimson); AEL 1964, 11 November 2009 (in Greek)
  8. Πήρε... πόδι ο Βιέρα (Viera... got the boot); Sport Dog, 29 December 2010 (in Greek)
  9. La increíble historia de superación de Seba Viera (The incredible overcoming of Seba Viera); El Observador, 17 December 2018 (in Spanish)
  10. Viera aumenta su leyenda en Junior: llegó a 440 partidos y lo celebra con su camiseta (Viera increases his legend at Junior: reached 440 matches and celebrates with their shirt); Zona Cero, 13 July 2019 (in Spanish)
  11. Los mejores memes que dejó el error garrafal de Sebastián Viera (The best memes that spawned from Sebastián Viera's colossal blunder); Infobae, 7 November 2022 (in Spanish)
  12. Copa América 2004; at RSSSF
  13. Arquero uruguayo del Junior asegura que la confianza en Dios le permitió tapar un penal (Uruguayan Junior goalie assures confidence in God enabled him to save a penalty); El País, 22 December 2011 (in Spanish)
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