Emiliano Sala

Emiliano Raúl Sala Taffarel (31 October 1990 – 21 January 2019) was an Argentine professional footballer. He played as a forward. He signed for Premier League side Cardiff City on 19 January 2019 as the club record fee. He died two days later. He played for French side Nantes before signing for Cardiff.

Emiliano Sala
Sala playing for Nantes in 2017
Born	Emiliano Raúl Sala Taffarel (1990-10-31)31 October 1990 Cululu, Santa Fe, Argentina
Died	21 January 2020(2020-01-21) (aged 29) English Channel, near the Channel Islands
Nationality	Argentine Italian
Occupation	Footballer
Height	1.87 m (6 ft 1+1⁄2 in)
Association football career Playing position Forward Club information Current team Cardiff City Youth career 1994–2005 Club San Martín de Progreso 2005–2009 Proyecto Crecer 2010–2012 Bordeaux Senior career* Years Team Apps (Gls) 2009 Crato 1 (2) 2012–2015 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) * Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Sala died in a plane crash off Alderney on 21 January 2019. He was flying from Nantes to Cardiff aboard a Piper Malibu light aircraft. A three-day search covered 1,700 square miles (4,400 km²) across the English Channel. Two subsequent private searches were launched, resulting in the discovery of the wreckage on 3 February; Sala's body was recovered four days later.

Emiliano Sala Media

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  Sala (right) playing for Nantes in 2015

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  Tributes laid outside the Cardiff City Stadium following Sala's disappearance