Emiliano Sala facts for kids
Sala playing for Nantes in 2017
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Emiliano Raúl Sala Taffarel | ||
| Date of birth | 31 October 1990 | ||
| Place of birth | Cululú, Santa Fe, Argentina | ||
| Date of death | 21 January 2019 (aged 28) | ||
| Place of death | English Channel, off Alderney, Channel Islands | ||
| Height | 1.87 m | ||
| Playing position | Striker | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 1994–2005 | Club San Martín de Progreso | ||
| 2005–2007 | Proyecto Crecer | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† |
| 2007–2008 | Soledad B | 6 | (1) |
| 2009 | Crato | 1 | (2) |
| 2010–2015 | Bordeaux | 11 | (1) |
| 2012–2013 | → Orléans (loan) | 37 | (19) |
| 2013–2014 | → Niort (loan) | 37 | (18) |
| 2015 | → Caen (loan) | 13 | (5) |
| 2015–2019 | Nantes | 120 | (42) |
| 2019 | Cardiff City | 0 | (0) |
| Total | 225 | (88) | |
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Emiliano Raúl Sala Taffarel (Spanish pronunciation: [emiˈljano ˈsala]; 31 October 1990 – 21 January 2019) was an Argentine professional footballer. He played as a striker, scoring many goals for his teams.
Emiliano started playing football in Argentina. He then moved to Europe. He began his professional career in France with Bordeaux in 2012. He was loaned to other French clubs like Orléans and Niort. He scored many goals for these teams.
In 2015, Sala joined Nantes permanently. He played over 100 games in France's top league, Ligue 1. He was Nantes' top goalscorer for three seasons in a row. His great performance led to a big move. In January 2019, he joined Cardiff City for a club record fee.
Sadly, Emiliano Sala died in a plane crash on 21 January 2019. The accident happened off Alderney in the English Channel. He was flying from Nantes to Cardiff to join his new team. A search was launched, and his body was found a few days later. In 2021, a football competition called the Challenge Emiliano Sala was created in his honor.
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Early Life and Family
Emiliano Sala was born in Cululú, Argentina. His parents were Horacio Sala and Mercedes Taffarel. He was born early, and doctors worried he might have breathing problems. He also had an Italian passport.
His family later moved to Progreso, where he grew up. His father worked as a truck driver. Emiliano loved football and was a fan of Independiente. He looked up to Argentine footballer Gabriel Batistuta. Emiliano's parents were separated when he passed away. His father died a few months later. Emiliano is remembered by his mother and two younger siblings, Romina and Dario.
People described Emiliano as a humble person. He was not like a typical football star. In France, he lived in a small town near Nantes called Carquefou. He spent his free time with friends or walking his rescue dog, Nala. A fan remembered that Emiliano said goodbye to everyone in town before moving to Cardiff. He was very close to his family and friends in Argentina. In his hometown, people still call him "el Emi." Murals of him were painted in both Progreso and Carquefou.
Football Career Highlights
Starting Out in Football
Emiliano Sala started playing football at San Martín de Progreso. He played there until he was 15. Then, a scout noticed him. He moved to a football school called Proyecto Crecer. This school was connected to Spanish club RCD Mallorca and French club FC Girondins de Bordeaux. He lived with other young players at the school. He also played a few games for a Spanish club, CD Soledad B.
In 2009, he played one official match for a Portuguese team, FC Crato. He scored two goals in that game. But he decided to return to Argentina soon after.
Time at Bordeaux
At 20, Sala moved to Europe to join Bordeaux in France. He lived with the club's youth coach and his son, who was also a teammate. Emiliano was eager to play for the first team.
He made his first professional appearance for Bordeaux in February 2012. It was a cup match against Olympique Lyonnais. However, he found it hard to get regular playing time. Bordeaux decided to loan him out so he could gain experience.
Loan Spells and Success
Emiliano joined Championnat National team US Orléans on loan. His coach there, Oliver Frapolli, called him "the best player on the team." Sala scored 19 goals in 37 games for Orléans. He helped them finish eighth in their league.
In 2013, he was loaned to Ligue 2 club Chamois Niortais. He had a fantastic season, scoring 20 goals in all competitions. His 18 league goals set a new club record for goals in one season. He even scored his first career hat-trick in a game against Stade Lavallois.
After his successful loans, Sala returned to Bordeaux for the 2014–15 season. He scored his first goal for the club from a penalty. But he only played 11 games. He was then loaned to another Ligue 1 club, SM Caen. He scored five goals for Caen during this loan.
Joining Nantes
On 20 July 2015, Sala signed a five-year contract with Nantes. He made his debut on the first day of the season. He scored his first goal for Nantes in December 2015. In his first season, he was the club's top goalscorer with six goals.
In his second season, Sala scored 12 league goals for Nantes. This was the most goals by a Nantes player in a single season since 2000–01. He scored 12 goals again in the 2017–18 season. This made him Nantes' top scorer for the third season in a row.
At the start of the 2018–19 season, Sala didn't play as much under the new manager. But he soon got back into the starting team. In October 2018, he scored a hat-trick against Toulouse. He was the first Nantes player to score three goals in a Ligue 1 match since 2006. He was voted Ligue 1 Player of the Month for October.
By early December, Sala was one of the top goalscorers in Ligue 1. He had 12 goals, tied with Kylian Mbappé. On 5 December, he scored his last goal for Nantes. His final match for the club was on 16 January 2019.
In 2021, a pre-season football tournament was created in his honor. It invited Nantes, Bordeaux, Caen, and Niort to play.
Move to Cardiff City
On 19 January 2019, Sala joined Premier League team Cardiff City. He signed a three-and-a-half-year deal. The transfer fee was a club record for Cardiff, reported to be £15 million. Sala chose Cardiff because he wanted to play in the Premier League. He turned down a higher salary offer from a Chinese club.
After Sala's death, there was a disagreement about the transfer fee. Nantes asked Cardiff to pay the fee. In 2019, FIFA ruled that Cardiff had to pay the first part of the fee. In 2022, the Court of Arbitration for Sport also ruled that the payment had to be made.
How Emiliano Played Football
Emiliano Sala said he learned from his idol, Gabriel Batistuta. Experts compared Sala to Jamie Vardy. They said he liked to play in open spaces and was good at counter-attacking. He was a strong striker. He was also known for his ability to hold the ball and his good speed. People praised his hard work, determination, and his skill at scoring goals.
Disappearance and Recovery
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After his medical check-up in Cardiff, Sala flew back to Nantes on 19 January. He planned to return to Cardiff on 21 January for his first training session. He went back to Nantes to say goodbye to his teammates and pick up his belongings.
On 21 January, the small plane carrying Sala from Nantes to Cardiff disappeared. It went missing near Alderney. The same plane and pilot had flown him to Nantes two days earlier. On 23 January, search teams said there was "no hope" of finding anyone alive.
An audio message from Sala was shared by Argentine media. In the message, he said he was on the plane and it felt like it was "falling apart." He also said he was "so scared."
The Search and Discovery
Police searched a large area of the English Channel for three days. On 24 January 2019, they stopped the search. This decision led to many people asking for the search to continue. Famous footballers like Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona joined the calls. Argentina's president also asked for the search to restart.
Sala's family decided to fund a private search. Over £280,000 was raised online to help. This private search began on 26 January. On 28 January, plans were made for an underwater search using a special robot.
On 29 January, Cardiff City honored Sala. They put a daffodil next to his name on their team sheet. On 30 January, two seat cushions believed to be from the plane were found on a French beach.
On 3 February, a new underwater search began. Six hours later, the plane's wreckage was found deep underwater. On 4 February, investigators saw one body inside the wreckage.
On 7 February, the body was recovered. It was taken to the Isle of Portland. Later that day, police confirmed it was Emiliano Sala using fingerprints. Nantes then retired his number 9 jersey to honor him. On 11 February, an examination showed Sala died from "head and trunk injuries." His body was returned to Argentina on 15 February. His funeral was held in his hometown of Progreso the next day.
Investigations and Findings
An investigation looked into the accident. It was found that Sala's body had high levels of carbon monoxide. This gas can make people drowsy or unconscious. It was thought the pilot might also have been affected.
In September 2022, recordings of the pilot, David Ibbotson, were released. He also died in the crash. He had said he would wear his life jacket on the flight. He also told friends that the 35-year-old plane was "dodgy" or not in good condition. He had said about a previous flight in the same plane: "I was flying along and then 'boom'. I thought, 'What's wrong?' So I put it back and then I thought, 'Oh, dear.' "
Honours
Individual
- UNFP Ligue 1 Player of the Month: February 2015, October 2018
- Nantes Team of the Decade: 2010–2019
See also
In Spanish: Emiliano Sala para niños
- List of solved missing person cases
