Mario Sebastián Viera Galaín (born 7 March 1983) is a Uruguayan former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper. He is currently manager of Liga DIMAYOR club Junior.
During his 20-year senior career, he represented mainly Junior. He also played, other than in his own country, in Spain and Greece.
Viera was part of the Uruguay squad at the 2004 Copa América.
Club career Born in Florida, Florida Department, Viera started his professional career with Club Nacional de Football, notably winning the 2005 Uruguayan Primera División without losing a single match. After three seasons, 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.
Eventually, Viera signed with Villarreal CF in Spain, moving alongside Mariano Barbosa (also a goalkeeper) on a four-year contract. 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.
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. On 7 December he signed a one-and-a-half-year contract with Greek side Athlitiki Enosi Larissa FC, being made eligible to play however only in January 2010; his contract was terminated in December.
In April 2011, Viera joined Atlético Junior, remaining in Colombia until his retirement aged 40. He won seven trophies during his 12-year spell in Barranquilla, including three Categoría Primera A championships.
In 2020, Viera was voted the second-most important player in Junior's history in a poll conducted by the website La Cháchara. With 638 total appearances to his credit, he also scored a league-best 11 goals from free kicks.
Viera was one of only two goalkeepers that FC Barcelona's Lionel Messi failed to score against while facing them on three occasions, the other being Renan of Valencia CF and Xerez CD.
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.
In five years, Viera earned 15 caps.
Coaching career Viera started working as a coach in the country where he had retired, being appointed at Primera B team Real Cartagena on 20 August 2024. Under his tenure, they reached the semi-finals of the tournament, missing out on a chance to play a promotion play-off by placing third in the season's aggregate table; he left by mutual agreement on 21 April 2025, following a 3–2 loss at home to Jaguares de Córdoba.
On 1 September 2026, Viera signed as head coach of his former club Junior.
Personal life Viera's father, also named Mario, was also a professional footballer and a goalkeeper.
Career statistics Club + Appearances and goals by club, season and competitionClubSeasonLeagueCupContinentalOtherTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsNacional2003Uruguayan Primera División160———1602004Uruguayan Primera División260—80—3402005Uruguayan Primera División160—50—210Total580—130—710Villarreal2005–06La Liga2900080—3702006–07La Liga2802010—3102007–08La Liga1800000—1802008–09La Liga002010—30Total75040100—890AEL2009–10Super League Greece140———1402010–11Super League Greece6000——60Total20000——200Junior2011Categoría Primera A3209050—4602012Categoría Primera A4000040204602013Categoría Primera A40020——4202014Categoría Primera A400100——5002015Categoría Primera A4508040—5702016Categoría Primera A4123081—5232017Categoría Primera A38280120—5822018Categoría Primera A35130190—5712019Categoría Primera A5013060—5912020Categoría Primera A23020121203912021Categoría Primera A45310120—5832022Categoría Primera A4817080—6312023Categoría Primera A1010010—111Total487115609124063813Career total6401160011524081913
International + Appearances and goals by national team and yearNational teamYearAppsGoalsUruguay200460200540200610200700200940Total150
Honours Nacional Uruguayan Primera División: 2005
Junior Categoría Primera A: 2011, 2018, 2019 Copa Colombia: 2015, 2017 Superliga Colombiana: 2019, 2020
See also List of goalscoring goalkeepers
References
External links