Last Updated on September 22, 2026 by Laurinda Jocias
Saba Lobjanidze is a Georgian professional footballer whose family has been an important part of his journey from childhood football in Tbilisi to the Georgia national team and Major League Soccer. Born on December 18, 1994, in Tbilisi, Lobjanidze developed through Dinamo Tbilisi before playing in Denmark, Turkey and the United States. In July 2026, he moved from Atlanta United to Real Salt Lake.
Saba is married to Georgian actress Sali Keratishvili, and the couple have a daughter named Alisa. His father played a particularly influential role in introducing him to football when he was only four years old. Lobjanidze has also publicly confirmed that he has two older brothers, although their names have not been reliably published. The names of his parents have likewise remained outside the public spotlight.
Who Is Saba Lobjanidze’s Wife?
Saba Lobjanidze’s wife is Sali Keratishvili, a Georgian actress who became known to television audiences through the popular Georgian series My Wife’s Girlfriends.
Their relationship became much more public after Lobjanidze moved to the United States to join Atlanta United in 2023.
In November of that year, Saba proposed to Sali at a football stadium. Georgian media published photographs and videos of the proposal after the couple shared the moment publicly.
By 2024, Georgian outlets were regularly referring to Sali as Lobjanidze’s wife, particularly as the couple prepared for the arrival of their first child.
Who Is Sali Keratishvili?
Sali Keratishvili is a Georgian actress and public personality. She became recognizable to Georgian television viewers through her appearance in the long-running comedy-drama series My Wife’s Girlfriends.
Although Sali has a public profile of her own, much of the international football audience first became familiar with her through her relationship with Lobjanidze.
She has shared selected moments from their family life on social media, including pregnancy photographs, their daughter’s early years and trips to watch Saba play in the United States.
Saba Lobjanidze Proposed to Sali at a Stadium
Lobjanidze’s engagement attracted attention in Georgia because of the setting.
On November 18, 2023, reports emerged that Saba had asked Sali to marry him at a stadium. Photographs of the moment circulated widely on Georgian social media and entertainment outlets.
The proposal took place only a few months after Lobjanidze had moved from Turkish football to Atlanta United.
The Guardian later included the relationship in its Euro 2024 player guide, noting that Lobjanidze had proposed to actress Sali Keratishvili at Atlanta’s stadium in November 2023 and that she accepted.
Does Saba Lobjanidze Have Children?
Yes. Saba Lobjanidze has one publicly known child, a daughter named Alisa.
Saba and Sali announced in early 2024 that they were expecting their first child. Later photographs from a gender-reveal celebration confirmed that they were preparing to welcome a daughter.
Their daughter arrived in July 2024, beginning a new stage in Lobjanidze’s life while he was playing for Atlanta United.
Saba Lobjanidze’s Daughter: Alisa
Alisa Lobjanidze was born on July 25, 2024, according to Georgian media reports about the couple becoming parents for the first time.
Fortuna and several other Georgian outlets reported that Saba and Sali named their daughter Alisa. Two months later, Saba publicly shared photographs of his wife and daughter visiting Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
Alisa celebrated her first birthday in July 2025, and the family continued occasionally sharing photographs from important family occasions.
Because she is a young child, details beyond the basic information publicly shared by her parents are best kept private.
Alisa’s Baptism and Budu Zivzivadze
Another publicly documented family event occurred in December 2025, when Saba and Sali’s daughter was baptized in Tbilisi.
Georgian reports said the ceremony took place at the Church of the Transfiguration in the Vake district.
One of Alisa’s godparents is Budu Zivzivadze, Saba’s longtime teammate with the Georgia national team.
The connection illustrates how Lobjanidze’s football relationships and family life sometimes overlap, with fellow Georgian internationals becoming close family friends away from the pitch.
Fatherhood Changed Saba Lobjanidze’s Family Life in the United States
Lobjanidze had already spent many years living abroad before becoming a father. He left Georgia for Denmark in 2017, later played in Turkey and eventually moved to the United States in 2023.
After Alisa’s birth, however, his immediate household in America included Sali and their daughter.
The family was occasionally seen together at Atlanta United matches, with Sali bringing Alisa to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to support Saba.
This gave Lobjanidze a family base in the United States while much of his wider family continued living in Georgia.
Who Are Saba Lobjanidze’s Parents?
The names of Saba Lobjanidze’s parents have not been reliably published by authoritative football sources.
However, Saba has spoken directly about his father and the enormous influence he had on his earliest football memories.
His mother has remained considerably more private, and reliable interviews provide very little detail about her background or occupation.
What can be firmly established is that Lobjanidze grew up in Tbilisi in a household where his father loved sport and encouraged his sons to play football.
Saba Lobjanidze’s Father
Saba’s father is one of the most important figures in his football story, even though his name has not been made widely public.
In an interview published by Atlanta United, Lobjanidze was asked about his first football memory.
He explained that his father loved the sport and had already tried introducing Saba’s two older brothers to football.
The older boys did not progress especially far in the game, but Saba showed more promise.
His father introduced him to organized football when he was only four years old.
Saba and His Father Trained Together Every Day
Lobjanidze has described his father as much more than the person who initially enrolled him in football.
He recalled that when he was growing up, the two would go outside together every day to work on his skills.
Their sessions included dribbling and shooting practice, helping Saba develop the technical qualities that later became central to his career as a winger.
This makes his father one of the clearest influences behind his development long before professional academies or senior clubs entered the picture.
Saba Started Football Younger Than the Other Children
Because his father introduced him so early, Saba found himself training with children considerably older than he was.
He recalled being four while many of the other youngsters were five, six or seven.
Rather than discouraging him, the age difference became part of his earliest football experience.
Eventually, he progressed into the youth system that led him toward Dinamo Tbilisi and professional football.
Saba Lobjanidze’s Mother
Saba Lobjanidze’s mother has maintained a private life, and reliable public sources do not provide her name or occupation.
Unlike his father, she has not featured prominently in the football interviews available internationally.
Lobjanidze generally refers to his relatives collectively when discussing family members living in Georgia rather than supplying detailed information about individual relatives.
Because of this, claims circulating on unofficial websites about his mother’s identity should be treated cautiously unless supported by a direct family or reputable media source.
Saba Lobjanidze Remains Close to His Family in Georgia
Living abroad for much of his professional career has meant spending long periods away from his parents, brothers and other relatives.
Despite the distance, Lobjanidze has said that he remains in frequent contact with them.
During a 2025 interview about his life in the United States, he said that he speaks with his family members in Georgia every day.
That routine became particularly important after moves that took him from Georgia to Denmark, Turkey and eventually the United States.
Does Saba Lobjanidze Have Siblings?
Yes. Saba Lobjanidze has two older brothers.
This information comes directly from Lobjanidze himself. When describing his first football memories, he explained that his father had initially tried to introduce his two older brothers to the sport before Saba began playing.
The brothers apparently trained in football when they were younger but did not achieve significant success in the sport.
Their names, occupations and current personal lives have not been reliably disclosed by established sources.
Saba Lobjanidze’s Two Older Brothers
Saba is the youngest of at least three sons in his immediate family.
His two brothers had already begun playing football by the time Saba was old enough to join them.
Lobjanidze humorously recalled that his father tried football with his older brothers but that they were “not so good,” making Saba the member of the family who ultimately progressed furthest in the sport.
The brothers nevertheless contributed indirectly to his introduction to football because their involvement meant Saba was exposed to the game before he was old enough to begin playing himself.
Since neither brother is a public figure, their identities should not be guessed from unrelated social-media accounts or individuals sharing the Lobjanidze surname.
Football Was Part of Saba Lobjanidze’s Childhood
Lobjanidze was born and raised in Tbilisi, Georgia.
His father’s enthusiasm for sport meant football became part of his life almost immediately.
Saba began organized training at four and later entered youth football with Norchi Dinamoeli before progressing through Dinamo Tbilisi’s development system.
He eventually became a first-team player for Dinamo and won domestic trophies before moving abroad.
Saba Lobjanidze’s Family Watched Him Build an International Career
After developing in Georgia, Lobjanidze moved to Danish club Randers FC in 2017.
That transfer began a long period away from his family’s home country.
He later played for Ankaragücü and Hatayspor in Turkey before joining Atlanta United in August 2023.
Through those moves, his relatives in Georgia remained an important connection to home.
Saba Lobjanidze and the 2023 Turkey-Syria Earthquake
One of the most difficult periods of Lobjanidze’s career occurred while he was contracted to Hatayspor.
The devastating February 2023 earthquake struck southern Turkey and severely affected Hatay, leading Hatayspor to withdraw from the remainder of the season.
Lobjanidze subsequently spent part of the season on loan with Fatih Karagümrük.
The episode preceded his eventual move to Major League Soccer later that year, where his personal life also changed significantly through his engagement to Sali and the birth of their daughter.
Saba Lobjanidze’s Move to Atlanta United
Atlanta United signed Lobjanidze from Hatayspor in August 2023.
He immediately made an impact, scoring on his MLS debut against Nashville SC.
Atlanta also gave supporters an unusually personal introduction to its new winger through a “17 Questions” interview.
It was during that feature that Lobjanidze publicly explained how his father loved football, how he had two older brothers and how he began training at four years old.
That interview remains the most useful primary source for understanding his childhood family background.
Saba Lobjanidze Became a Husband and Father During His Atlanta Years
Lobjanidze’s years in Atlanta became particularly important away from football.
Only a few months after joining the club, he proposed to Sali Keratishvili.
In 2024, the couple welcomed Alisa, their first child.
As a result, Atlanta was not only the place where Saba established himself in MLS but also where he experienced two major personal milestones: building a married life with Sali and becoming a father.
Saba Lobjanidze’s Move to Real Salt Lake
On July 1, 2026, Real Salt Lake acquired Saba Lobjanidze from Atlanta United.
The agreement sent $625,000 in General Allocation Money to Atlanta, with a possible additional payment if Saba re-signs with Real Salt Lake.
He left Atlanta after 93 appearances across competitions, having contributed 15 goals and 21 assists.
The transfer opened another chapter for Saba, Sali and Alisa as the family adjusted to life in Utah after several years in Georgia, Europe and Atlanta.
Saba Lobjanidze’s Georgia National-Team Career
Lobjanidze made his senior international debut for Georgia in January 2017 and scored in the same match against Uzbekistan.
His international career later took him to one of the most important tournaments in Georgian football history.
Saba was part of the Georgia squad that qualified for UEFA Euro 2024, the country’s first appearance at a major senior international tournament.
Georgia reached the Round of 16 in Germany, creating a historic moment for players and their families back home.
Saba Lobjanidze’s Family and Georgia
Despite building his professional career abroad, Saba consistently speaks positively about Georgia.
He has described Tbilisi as home and spoken about his love for the country’s mountains, sea and landscapes.
His parents, brothers and wider relatives provide an enduring personal connection with Georgia even while his wife and daughter have accompanied him during his career in the United States.
This leaves Lobjanidze with two important family bases: the relatives he remains close to in Georgia and the household he has created with Sali and Alisa.
Frequently Asked Questions About Saba Lobjanidze’s Family
Who is Saba Lobjanidze’s wife?
Saba Lobjanidze’s wife is Georgian actress Sali Keratishvili, who is known for appearing in the television series My Wife’s Girlfriends.
When did Saba Lobjanidze propose to Sali Keratishvili?
Lobjanidze proposed to Sali at a stadium in November 2023, shortly after beginning his MLS career with Atlanta United.
Does Saba Lobjanidze have children?
Yes. Saba and Sali have one publicly known daughter named Alisa.
Who is Saba Lobjanidze’s daughter?
Saba Lobjanidze’s daughter is Alisa, born on July 25, 2024. She is the first child of Saba and Sali Keratishvili.
Who are Saba Lobjanidze’s parents?
The names of Saba Lobjanidze’s parents have not been reliably published. His father is known to be a major football influence who introduced Saba to the sport when he was four years old.
Who is Saba Lobjanidze’s father?
Saba has not publicly disclosed his father’s name in major international profiles. He has said that his father loves sport and spent extensive time helping him practice dribbling and shooting as a child.
Who is Saba Lobjanidze’s mother?
The identity and occupation of Saba Lobjanidze’s mother have remained private.
Does Saba Lobjanidze have siblings?
Yes. Saba has two older brothers.
Who are Saba Lobjanidze’s brothers?
The names of his two older brothers have not been reliably published. Saba has said they played football when they were younger before he became the member of the family who pursued the sport professionally.
Is Saba Lobjanidze the youngest child?
He is younger than his two publicly documented brothers. Reliable sources do not provide enough information to determine whether there are any additional siblings.
Where does Saba Lobjanidze’s family live?
Saba has said that he speaks every day with family members who remain in Georgia. His wife Sali and daughter Alisa have lived with him in the United States during his MLS career.
Who is Alisa Lobjanidze’s godfather?
Georgia international striker Budu Zivzivadze was publicly identified as one of Alisa’s godparents when she was baptized in Tbilisi in December 2025.
Where is Saba Lobjanidze from?
Saba Lobjanidze was born in Tbilisi, Georgia, on December 18, 1994.
Laurinda Jocias is a football writer covering English women’s football, including the Women’s Super League. Her work focuses on players, clubs, and the continued development of the women’s game in the UK.
