A late bloomer with pace: Saad in focus
Winger joins FCA
First Team
27.06.2025, 19:07
FC Augsburg have secured the signing of pacey and technically gifted winger Elias Saad. The 25-year-old has joined from FC St. Pauli and will provide FCA’s attacking play with a new dimension.
Saad’s transfer to Augsburg marks the first time he will ply his trade outside of the north of Germany. Having been born and grown up in Hamburg, his career began at ESV Einigkeit Wilhelmsburg in the city’s district of Wilhelmsburg. He also played for SV Wilhelmsburg, Niendorfer TSV and Buxtehuder SV in his youth, eventually making the step up to senior football at the age of 20 with BSV.
Following two seasons in the Landesliga with Buxtehude, Saad signed for HSV Barmbek-Uhlenhorst, a fifth-division side, in 2019. Despite never spending time in a professional football club’s academy as a youngster, the attacker still managed to work his way to the top through his hard work and desire. The next step on his journey was a move to Eintracht Norderstedt in the fourth division. The young German-Tunisian quickly made a name for himself in the first half of the 2022/23 season, scoring 10 goals and recording four assists in just 17 appearances.
From non-league to the Bundesliga
Saad transferred to FC St. Pauli in January 2023 and was immediately a regular in their side despite his inexperience in the professional game, with his first goal for the Kiezkicker coming in just his second appearance. In 2023/24, Saad played 30 games and had a hand in nine goals as St. Pauli won promotion to the Bundesliga. He was also a key player for the Hamburg-based club last season in the top flight, even if an ankle ligament injury after a rough tackle forced him to spend several weeks on the sidelines. Saad fought back from that setback and played a total of 18 matches in 2024/25, scoring three goals and recording two assists in his debut Bundesliga campaign.
The forward, who previously played for Germany’s national futsal team, earned a first call-up to the Tunisian national team in September 2023. He has won three caps for them in total, starting twice.
First club outside of the north of Germany
Saad has now left his home city to take the next step in his career, and is extremely motivated after arriving in Augsburg: “My conversations with the club were extremely positive and quickly gave me the feeling that this was the perfect move for me. I’m looking forward to bringing my strengths to an ambitious club like FCA and continuing my personal development,” he explained.
Off the pitch, Saad is a self-proclaimed anime fan, particularly of the manga series Naruto. One of his sporting role models is a former Bayern star: Franck Ribéry.
