Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Emiliano Sala
Emiliano Raúl Sala Taffarel (Spanish pronunciation: [emiˈljano ˈsala]; 31 October 1990 – 21 January 2019) was an Argentine professional footballer who played as a striker.
After playing youth football in Argentina and following a short spell in Portugal's regional leagues, Sala began his professional career in France with Bordeaux, making his professional debut in February 2012. After struggling to break into the first team, he was loaned out to Championnat National side Orléans and Ligue 2 side Niort in consecutive seasons. He enjoyed prolific spells with both clubs, scoring 39 goals between them, before returning to Bordeaux. After initially being promised an increased role after his successful loans, Sala fell out of favour again, and instead, joined fellow Ligue 1 side Caen on loan.
In 2015, he signed for Nantes on a permanent basis. With Nantes, he made more than 100 appearances in Ligue 1, and achieved a successful goalscoring record, finishing as the club's top goalscorer for three consecutive seasons. His form prompted a move to Cardiff City in January 2019, for a club record fee of £15 million (€18 million).
Sala was killed in a plane crash off Alderney on 21 January 2019. He was a passenger aboard a Piper Malibu light aircraft flying from Nantes to Cardiff. An initial three-day search that covered 4,400 square kilometres (1,700 sq mi) across the English Channel failed to locate the crash site. Two subsequent private searches were launched, resulting in the discovery of the wreckage on 3 February 2019; Sala's body was recovered four days later.
Emiliano Raúl Sala Taffarel was born in the town of Cululú, Santa Fe Province. He was born prematurely, with concerns that the respiratory issues might prevent him from being able to run. He held an Italian passport.
His father worked as a truck driver, and the family later moved to Progreso, where Sala was raised. He was a fan of Independiente, and, growing up, studied footage of his favourite footballer, Argentine international Gabriel Batistuta. Sala's parents were separated at the time of his death, and his father died of a heart attack on 26 April 2019, three months later. Sala is survived by his mother and two younger siblings, sister Romina and brother Dario.
He is described as having been "far removed from the typical image of a star footballer." In France, he settled in Carquefou, a small town outside of Nantes, and would spend his free time with friends made there or walking his rescue dog, Nala. A local fan recalled that Sala went around town to personally say goodbye to everyone when he was set to transfer to Cardiff. Having had a close relationship with his family and Argentine friends, in his hometown of Progreso, he continues to be affectionately known as "el Emi"; matching murals of him were commissioned from the same artist in Progreso and Carquefou.
Sala began playing football for San Martín de Progreso, where he remained until he was 15 years old. He then moved to San Francisco, Córdoba to play at football school Proyecto Crecer after being spotted by a scout. The club was directly affiliated with Spanish club RCD Mallorca and French side FC Girondins de Bordeaux, scouting local players in the area. After joining the club, he moved into a boarding house with other players from the club's youth system. He played six Preferente matches for Spanish club CD Soledad B between October 2007 and February 2008.
Hub AI
Emiliano Sala AI simulator
(@Emiliano Sala_simulator)
Emiliano Sala
Emiliano Raúl Sala Taffarel (Spanish pronunciation: [emiˈljano ˈsala]; 31 October 1990 – 21 January 2019) was an Argentine professional footballer who played as a striker.
After playing youth football in Argentina and following a short spell in Portugal's regional leagues, Sala began his professional career in France with Bordeaux, making his professional debut in February 2012. After struggling to break into the first team, he was loaned out to Championnat National side Orléans and Ligue 2 side Niort in consecutive seasons. He enjoyed prolific spells with both clubs, scoring 39 goals between them, before returning to Bordeaux. After initially being promised an increased role after his successful loans, Sala fell out of favour again, and instead, joined fellow Ligue 1 side Caen on loan.
In 2015, he signed for Nantes on a permanent basis. With Nantes, he made more than 100 appearances in Ligue 1, and achieved a successful goalscoring record, finishing as the club's top goalscorer for three consecutive seasons. His form prompted a move to Cardiff City in January 2019, for a club record fee of £15 million (€18 million).
Sala was killed in a plane crash off Alderney on 21 January 2019. He was a passenger aboard a Piper Malibu light aircraft flying from Nantes to Cardiff. An initial three-day search that covered 4,400 square kilometres (1,700 sq mi) across the English Channel failed to locate the crash site. Two subsequent private searches were launched, resulting in the discovery of the wreckage on 3 February 2019; Sala's body was recovered four days later.
Emiliano Raúl Sala Taffarel was born in the town of Cululú, Santa Fe Province. He was born prematurely, with concerns that the respiratory issues might prevent him from being able to run. He held an Italian passport.
His father worked as a truck driver, and the family later moved to Progreso, where Sala was raised. He was a fan of Independiente, and, growing up, studied footage of his favourite footballer, Argentine international Gabriel Batistuta. Sala's parents were separated at the time of his death, and his father died of a heart attack on 26 April 2019, three months later. Sala is survived by his mother and two younger siblings, sister Romina and brother Dario.
He is described as having been "far removed from the typical image of a star footballer." In France, he settled in Carquefou, a small town outside of Nantes, and would spend his free time with friends made there or walking his rescue dog, Nala. A local fan recalled that Sala went around town to personally say goodbye to everyone when he was set to transfer to Cardiff. Having had a close relationship with his family and Argentine friends, in his hometown of Progreso, he continues to be affectionately known as "el Emi"; matching murals of him were commissioned from the same artist in Progreso and Carquefou.
Sala began playing football for San Martín de Progreso, where he remained until he was 15 years old. He then moved to San Francisco, Córdoba to play at football school Proyecto Crecer after being spotted by a scout. The club was directly affiliated with Spanish club RCD Mallorca and French side FC Girondins de Bordeaux, scouting local players in the area. After joining the club, he moved into a boarding house with other players from the club's youth system. He played six Preferente matches for Spanish club CD Soledad B between October 2007 and February 2008.