Sagar Thapa
{{Short description|Nepalese footballer}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Sagar Thapa
| image = Sagar Thapa.jpg
| image_size = 250
| height = 1.68m
| fullname = Sagar Thapa
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|11|21|df=y}}[https://web.archive.org/web/20150927235722/http://www.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people=282976/index.html FIFA.com]
| birth_place = Machhegaun, Kathmandu District{{cite web |title=Our Very Own Captain Fantastic |url=http://tnm.com.np/article/our-very-own-captain-fantastic |author=Ankit Shakya |date=30 September 2013 |access-date=30 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030143939/http://tnm.com.np/article/our-very-own-captain-fantastic |archive-date=30 October 2014 }}
|position = Defender
| currentclub = Banned
| clubnumber =
| youthyears1 =
| youthclubs1 =
| years1 = –2012
| clubs1 = Himalayan Sherpa Club
| years2 = 2012–2013
| clubs2 = Friends Club
| years3 = 2014–2015
| clubs3 = Manang Marshyangdi Club
| years4 = 2015–
| clubs4 = Three Star Club
| caps2 = 12
| goals2 = -
| caps4 = 12
| goals4 = 1
| nationalyears1 = 2003–2015
| nationalteam1 = Nepal
| nationalcaps1 = 66{{NFT player|id=4607|accessdate=}}
| nationalgoals1 = 1
}}
Sagar Thapa is a former Nepalese footballer and the former captain of the Nepal national team. Known for his strong defensive skills, he played a crucial role in Nepal’s international football scene. Thapa represented Nepal in various tournaments, contributing significantly to the team’s performances over the years.{{cite web |title=Our Very Own Captain Fantastic |url=http://tnm.com.np/article/our-very-own-captain-fantastic |author=Ankit Shakya |date=30 September 2013 |access-date=30 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141030143939/http://tnm.com.np/article/our-very-own-captain-fantastic |archive-date=30 October 2014 }}
Early life
Thapa was born in the village of Machhegaun in Kathmandu District, although he spent most of childhood in Dharan and Biratnagar. When he was in eight grade, Thapa was offered a scholarship by the Daffodil School of Kathmandu. In 2001, at the age of 17, Thapa joined Friends Club. Initially he played as a forward and midfielder but after a being offered a vacant spot in central defense, Thapa made the position his own.
Career
=Yeti Himalayan Sherpa Club=
Thapa started his career at the Himalayan Sherpa Club. His contract expired in 2012, but his decision to leave his club was heavily scrutinized in the media.{{cite web|title=Sagar Thapa: I Am A Professional Player; I Play Football & My Move To Other Club Should Be Normal |url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=7120 |work=goalnepal.com |date=27 May 2013 |access-date=19 November 2014}} The main reason why he left was because he felt that the salary of 50,000 rupees per month wasn't good enough, demanding that he and other prominent Nepali footballers should be paid 1 Lakh (or 100,000 rupees) per month.{{cite web|title=Nepal National Team Skipper, Sagar Thapa: We Have Just Demanded Our Worth |url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=7331 |work=goalnepal.com |date=15 April 2012 |access-date=21 November 2014}}
=Manang Marshyangdi Club=
Thapa captained and played for Manang Marshyangdi Club in the domestic league. He also helped Manang Marshyangdi Club clinch A Division League in 2014. He was previously playing for Friends Club. He took the role of interim coach for Friends Club after their coach Dilkaji Gurung resigned.{{Cite web|url=http://givemegoal.com/np/2012/12/16/friends-club-coach-resigns-sagar-thapa-to-be-coach-cum-captain/|title=Friends' Club Coach resigns; Sagar Thapa to be Coach cum Captain|date=16 December 2012}}
Nepali National Football team captain Sagar Thapa has been declared player of the year. All Nepal Football Association ( ANFA ) made such declaration amid a press conference in the Capital on Friday. On the occasion, ANFA awarded an apartment to Thapa. Receiving the award, Thapa said such honor for players have bestowed more responsibility upon them.
In January 2015 Thapa announced that he was leaving Manang Marshyangdi after a dispute over his salary.{{cite web|title=Sagar Thapa Clarifies That It Was Him Who Decided To Leave MMC After Salary Dispute |url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=22937 |work=GoalNepal.com |date=8 January 2015 |access-date=10 January 2015}}
=Three Star Club=
Latter that month it was announced that Thapa had signed with Three Star Club for the upcoming 2014–15 Martyr's Memorial A-Division League.{{cite web|title=Lalitpur: Three Star Club Unveils Star Studded Squad For RedBull National League |url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=23091 |work=GoalNepal.com |date=23 January 2015 |access-date=23 January 2015}}{{cite web|title=Three Star Defender Sagar Thapa: I Always Wanted To Play For Three Star Club |url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=23096 |work=GoalNepal.com |date=23 January 2015 |access-date=23 January 2015}} On 1 October 2015 Thapa scored his first goal for the club with a well placed free-kick in the thirty-eight minute against Nepal Army Club. Thapa however received significant criticism in the same match as he insulted and yelled at referee Sharwan Lama after the latter had issued Thapa a yellow card.{{cite web|title=RedBull National League: Three Star Club Thwart Nepal Army Club |url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=25226 |work=GoalNepal.com |date=1 October 2015 |access-date=1 October 2015}}{{cite web|title=An Embarrassing Day In Nepalese Football |url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=25231 |work=GoalNepal.com |date=1 October 2015 |access-date=1 October 2015}} In the aftermath Thapa was suspended two games while Nepal Army Megh Raj KC was suspended for his out burst directed at the referee. Sharwan Lama was also penalized for not properly handling the incident.{{cite web|title=RedBull National League: TSC Skipper Sagar Thapa & Nepal Army Coach Megh Raj KC Suspended|url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=25241 |work=GoalNepal.com |date=2 October 2015 |access-date=14 October 2015}}
International career
Thapa made his international debut in a 2004 AFC Asian Cup qualification match against Vietnam in 2003.{{cite web|title=Sagar Thapa, Astute Footballer |author=Sushil Thapa |url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=19045 |work=goalnepal.com |date=27 February 2014 |access-date=21 November 2014}} Thapa became the permanent captain for his country during the 2010 AFC Challenge Cup. He is one of the most capped Nepalese footballers of all time with more than 50 appearances to his name. Perhaps his most famous moment for the national team was the last minute goal he scored from a free-kick during the 2011 SAFF Championship against Bangladesh that reminded many of Ronaldinho's memorable strikes.{{cite web|title=Nepal Skipper Sagar Thapa's Free Kick Goal Listed In 20 Greatest Free Kick Goals |url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=16852 |work=goalnepal.com |date=23 October 2013 |access-date=21 November 2014}}{{cite web|title=Sagar Thapa Listed In World Player Of The Week; Listed Along With Ribery, Yakubu |url=http://www.goalnepal.com/news.php?id=5796 |work=goalnepal.com |date=6 December 2013 |access-date=21 November 2014}}
= International goals =
:Scores and results list Nepal's goal tally first.
| class="wikitable" | |||||||
| # | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | 4 December 2011 | Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi | {{fb|BAN}} | {{center|1–0}} | {{center|1–0}} | 2011 SAFF Championship |
Personal life
Match fixing allegations
In 2015, Sagar Thapa and several teammates faced allegations of match-fixing. However, in 2018, Nepal’s Special Court acquitted Thapa and his teammates due to a lack of sufficient evidence. The Supreme Court of Nepal upheld this acquittal in 2020, confirming that there was no legal basis for the charges. Despite this, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) imposed a lifetime ban, which Thapa and his colleagues have expressed intentions to challenge.
References
{{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thapa, Sagar}}
Category:People from Kathmandu District
Category:Sportspeople from Bagmati Province
Category:Nepalese men's footballers
Category:Nepal men's international footballers
Category:Manang Marshyangdi Club players
Category:Three Star Club players
Category:Footballers at the 2014 Asian Games
Category:Men's association football central defenders