Jose Sa

Jose Sa, full name José Pedro Malheiro de Sá, was born on January 17, 1993, in Braga, Portugal. His football career began at the youth ranks, joining Benfica in January 2011 after a stint with Merelinense, and then moving to Marítimo six months later to complete his development. He made his professional debut with Marítimo B in the Segunda Liga on January 23, 2013, in a 0–0 home draw against Oliveirense. Promoted to the main squad by manager Pedro Martins in the 2013 off-season, he made his Primeira Liga debut on August 18, 2013, in a 2–1 home win over Benfica. During his time at Funchal, Sa primarily served as an understudy to Romain Salin.

His career saw a significant move on January 25, 2016, when he joined Porto along with teammate Moussa Marega on a four-and-a-half-year contract, with his transfer costing €1.5 million. Initially, he was the second-choice goalkeeper behind Spain international Iker Casillas. Sa made his UEFA Champions League debut on October 17, 2017, in a 3–2 loss against RB Leipzig. Following a 5–0 home defeat against Liverpool in the same competition, he temporarily lost his starting position. In search of regular playing time, Sa was loaned to Super League Greece side Olympiacos on August 31, 2018, where he quickly established himself as the first-choice goalkeeper under his former Marítimo coach, Pedro Martins. His loan move became permanent on May 15, 2019, with a four-year deal, and he went on to win two Super League Greece titles and one Greek Cup with Olympiacos, including a domestic double in the 2019–2020 season.

On July 15, 2021, Sa joined English club Wolverhampton Wanderers for an €8 million transfer fee on a five-year deal, succeeding Rui Patrício as the club’s number one goalkeeper. He made his Premier League debut on August 14, 2021, in a 1–0 loss to Leicester City. His performances quickly earned him recognition, including an assist for Raúl Jiménez against Southampton in September, a first for a Wolves goalkeeper since 2009. His consistent displays, including significant shot-stopping and distribution, contributed to a run of clean sheets and earned him the club’s Player of the Month award. He also won both the Wolves’ Fans’ Player of the 2021–22 Season and the Players’ Player of the 2021–22 Season awards. Notably, he played for two months with a fractured wrist in the 2022-23 season, saving penalties against Fulham and Nottingham Forest. He made his 100th competitive appearance for Wolves on February 4, 2024, in a 4–2 away win against Chelsea. On the international stage, Sa has represented Portugal at various youth levels, including the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the 2015 UEFA European Under-21 Championship, where Portugal finished as runner-up. He was part of the senior squad that secured third place at the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup and won the 2019 UEFA Nations League Finals. He was also selected for the 2022 FIFA World Cup and made his senior international debut on November 16, 2023, in a 2–0 victory over Liechtenstein during a UEFA Euro 2024 qualifying match.