Tragic footballer Sala’s funeral takes place in Argentina

PROGRESSO: The funeral of Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala (pic) took place in his home village in Argentina three weeks after he was killed in a plane crash.

A public vigil was held in a gymnasium in Progreso yesterday, the modest village in the province of Santa Fe which Sala left as a teenager to forge a career in Europe.

Sala’s father, mother, sister and friends were seen arriving at the ceremony and dozens of local people filed in after them.

The 28-year-old died on Jan 21 just two days after completing a £15mil (RM79mil) move to the English Premier League club from French club Nantes.

The single-engine private plane carrying Sala and pilot David Ibbotson crashed in the English Channel near Alderney.

Sala had been flying back to Wales after returning to France to say goodbye to his former teammates.

The player’s body was recovered from the submerged wreckage on Feb 7 but Ibbotson remains missing, with funds being raised to continue the search for the 59-year-old.

Cardiff manager Neil Warnock and the club’s chief executive Ken Choo both travelled to Argentina to attend the ceremony.

Nantes, for whom Sala scored 42 goals in 120 league appearances, were represented by the defender Nicolas Pallois and general secretary Loic Morin.

Sala, a lanky striker, began his career at San Martin de Progreso, and the local club was at the centre of yesterday’s ceremony.

“People will be able to pass by the coffin, leave a letter, a drawing or flowers,” the club’s president, Daniel Ribero, said.

“He represented a lot for us. “We’re a small village and Emi was a celebrity, the only player to turn professional.”

One mourner, Miguel Angel Pereira, 68, made the 70km journey from Santa Fe to pay his respects.

“I wanted to be here. I was a San Martin player myself in the 1960s,” he said.

We’re a small village and Emi was a celebrity, the only player to turn professional.

Daniel Ribero