Saša Kalajdžić (; born 7 July 1997) is an Austrian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Austrian Bundesliga club LASK and the Austria national team.
Kalajdžić began his senior career in the third and fourth tiers of Austrian football with SR Donaufeld Wien. In 2016, he signed for Austrian Bundesliga club Admira Wacker, where he scored twelve goals in 35 matches for the first team. Kalajdžić joined German club VfB Stuttgart in July 2019, only to sustain a serious knee injury shortly after joining and not making his debut until May 2020. However, he went on to score 24 goals in 60 matches for the club. In August 2022, Kalajdžić was signed by English club Wolverhampton Wanderers for a reported fee of £15 million.
Kalajdžić played for Austria at under-21 level before making his senior international debut in October 2020. He was part of Austria's squad at the UEFA Euro 2020 and 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Club career FC Admira Wacker Mödling
Born in the Austrian capital Vienna, Kalajdžić joined FC Admira Wacker Mödling in 2016, from SR Donaufeld Wien. He originally played as a midfielder for the club's reserve side in the Austrian Regionalliga East, before being converted into a forward.
VfB Stuttgart On 5 July 2019, Kalajdžić signed a four-year contract with German club VfB Stuttgart. Shortly after his arrival, he suffered a torn cruciate ligament during a preseason training camp. He made his league debut on 28 May 2020, coming on as a substitute in the 78th minute of Matchday 28 of the 2019–20 2. Bundesliga season against Hamburger SV, and scored his first goal on Matchday 33 during a 6–0 victory against FC Nuremberg.
The following season, Kalajdžić frequently led the line for VfB Stuttgart, finishing the season as the sixth top scorer in the Bundesliga with 16 goals, helping the club finished ninth place. The next season, he scored the winner in Stuttgart's 3–2 victory against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Matchday 25, and the team's first goal in a 2–1 victory against 1. FC Köln on the final matchday, leading the club's presence in the Bundesliga for the 2022–23 season.
Wolverhampton Wanderers On 31 August 2022, Kalajdžić signed for English club Wolverhampton Wanderers on a five-year contract with the option to extend for a further year. The fee was undisclosed by the club, but was reported to be £15 million. He made his Premier League debut three days later as a starter in a 1–0 victory against Southampton at Molineux, but was replaced at half-time due to injury, which was later confirmed as an ACL tear that required surgery. Wolves subsequently announced that Kalajdžić underwent reparative surgery on 6 September and warned that the typical rehabilitation period after such a procedure was nine months.
In an away league match against Manchester United on 14 August 2023, Kalajdžić made his second appearance for Wolves – as well as first since 3 September 2022 – as a late substitute. Again, he entered the field as a late substitute against Everton on 26 August and proceeded to score his first goal for Wolves in the 87th minute to help them win 1–0 at Goodison Park. Kalajdžić scored his second goal for Wolves in his next match, as well as his first start for the club since 3 September 2022, a home one in the EFL Cup against Blackpool on 29 August 2023 in which Wolves won 5–0. In a 2–1 away victory against Bournemouth on 21 October 2023, Kalajdžić scored his second Premier League goal as a substitute again in a 2–1 Wolves.
Loan to Eintracht Frankfurt On 7 January 2024, Kalajdžić was sent on loan to Bundesliga club Eintracht Frankfurt until the end of the 2023–24 season. On 15 February, he scored his first goal for the club in a 2–2 away draw against Union Saint-Gilloise during the Conference League knockout round play-offs. On 18 February, Kalajdžić suffered a third ACL tear in the span of five years in a Bundesliga match against SC Freiburg.
Return to Wolverhampton and loan to LASK Kalajdžić missed the entire 2024–25 season due to his ACL injury.
On 5 September 2025, Kalajdžić went on loan for the second time, this time to Austrian club LASK. On 30 January 2026, he scored his first goal for the club in a 3–2 victory over Blau-Weiß Linz in the Austrian Cup. Later that year, on 26 April, he netted a brace, including a goal from his own half, and provided an assist in a 5–1 away victory against TSV Hartberg.
Return to LASK On 30 August 2026, Kalajdžić rejoined LASK on a permanent transfer, signing a three-year contract.
International career Kalajdžić made six appearances for Austria at under-21 level. He made his senior international debut for Austria on 14 October 2020, in a Nations League 1–0 victory against Romania, as an extra-time substitute for Michael Gregoritsch.
On 25 March 2021, Kalajdžić scored his first two international goals in a 2–2 away draw with Scotland during 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification. He was included in the squad for Euro 2020, scoring a goal in a 2–1 loss after extra-time against Italy in the round of 16.
On 18 May 2026, Kalajdžić was selected in Ralf Rangnick’s 26-man squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, marking Austria's first appearance in the tournament since 1998. One month later, on 27 June, he scored his first World Cup goal in the stoppage time, equalising in a 3–3 draw against Algeria and securing his country's qualification for the knockout stage.
Style of play
Due to his two-metre stature and relatively slender build, Kalajdžić received comparisons with the English striker Peter Crouch, who similarly to him functioned as an out-and-out target man. During his youth career, Kalajdžić also played as a holding midfielder and referred to Nemanja Matić as an inspiration.
Personal life Born in Austria, Kalajdžić is of Serbian descent.
Career statistics Club
+ Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueNational cupLeague cupEuropeTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsSR Donaufeld Wien2014–15Austrian Regionalliga East2000——202015–16Wiener Stadtliga16700——167Total18700——187Admira Wacker Amateure2016–17Austrian Regionalliga East2710———27102017–1833———332018–1930———30Total3313———3313Admira Wacker2017–18Austrian Bundesliga18321——2042018–1915800—00158Total331121—003512VfB Stuttgart2019–202. Bundesliga6100——612020–21Bundesliga331631——36172021–2215600——1562022–233000——30Total572331——6024Wolverhampton Wanderers2022–23Premier League100000—102023–241120021—1332025–2610—10—20Total1320031—163Eintracht Frankfurt (loan)2023–24Bundesliga50——1161LASK (loan)2025–26Austrian Bundesliga22641——267LASK2026–27Austrian Bundesliga2000—1030Career total1836293312119767
International
+ Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsAustria2020202021942022402023402026102Total296
Scores and results list Austria's goal tally first. Score column indicates score after each Kalajdžić goal. + List of international goals scored by Saša KalajdžićNo.DateVenueCapOpponentScoreResultCompetition125 March 2021Hampden Park, Glasgow, Scotland31–02–22022 FIFA World Cup qualification22–1328 March 2021Ernst-Happel-Stadion, Vienna, Austria43–13–1426 June 2021Wembley Stadium, London, England111–21–2 UEFA Euro 2020527 June 2026Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, United States243–33–32026 FIFA World Cup624 September 2026Raiffeisen Arena, Linz, Austria263–13–12026–27 UEFA Nations League B
Honours LASK Austrian Bundesliga: 2025–26 Austrian Cup: 2025–26
Individual Wolverhampton Wanderers Player of the Month: August 2023
References
External links
Profile at the Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C. website
(national team)