Taylor Saghabi

Saghabi played for various youth clubs in Australia's lower divisions, before stepping into senior football with local sunday league team West Ryde Rovers. In 2011, Saghabi trialled successfully for the Cook Islands in Rarotonga, and would make his debut for the national team on 27 August 2011 in a 4–0 loss against Papua New Guinea. He scored his first 2 international goals against Kiribati in a 3–0 win. He was used as a backup for the squad for 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification. From 2015 to 2016, he played for La Onda. He was later selected for the national team's historic campaign in the 2018 FIFA World Cup under British coach Drew Sherman. He would score the nation's first ever hattrick in a subsequent 3–0 opening victory against hosts Tonga. He would then feature in a match against favourites Samoa, managing to find the decisive goal with a rasping freekick into the top corner. He would then go into the final match against American Samoa, a match Cook Islands lost 2–0. In 2018, he represented Aitutaki in the 2018 Cook Islands Games football tournament, where his team finished runners-up to Avarua. Saghabi was selected for Tupapa Maraerenga in the 2023 OFC Champions League qualifying stage, scoring 3 goals in 3 matches, but his side ultimately lost to home side Lupe o le Soaga 7–1, failing to qualify. He would later feature in a one-off match in the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, both of the Cook Islands' games at the 2023 Pacific Games, as well as friendlies…

International

Statistics accurate as of match played 26 March 2024