BUENOS AIRES • A small village in Argentina on Saturday bid farewell to their favourite son, Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala, who died along with his pilot David Ibbotson last month when his small plane crashed in the English Channel.
Friends, family and supporters gathered in Progreso for the day-long wake at his boyhood club, San Martin de Progreso.
More than 3,000 mourners came to pay their respects to the 28-year-old, whose coffin was draped in the red and white colours of the team and set against the backdrop of a giant poster, while outside the club, a banner read: "Emi, you will never walk alone."
The club's president, Daniel Ribero told Agence France-Presse: "He represented a lot for us. We're a small village and Emi was a celebrity, the only player to turn professional. He was one of us. He meant a lot to us."
Describing his death as "the saddest moment of the history of our town", he added: "I would have liked to do an interview because Emiliano was called up to the national team or because of his great form in the Premier League, but this is the reality, and we have to accept it.
"Emi was a very introverted and quiet boy. He never forgot his origins. He left a legacy of humility and sacrifice, not only in sports but also in life.
"He always said he was going to be a professional football player and he worked for that, he persevered, and he did it, he made his way alone. We will always carry it in our hearts."
The attendees included Sala's former Nantes teammate Nicolas Pallois, who was one of the pallbearers, and the French Ligue 1 club's general secretary Loic Morin.
Cardiff chief executive officer Ken Choo and manager Neil Warnock were also present.
The Bluebirds boss later told reporters he had "goose pimples", saying: "It's been very difficult for everyone, but none more so than for (Sala's mother) Mercedes, (sister) Romina, the brother (Dario) and father (Horacio).
"You can't really understand the emotions of the family, but the thing today is how united they all are. The whole village is really united, and it just brings it home to you just how important family are.
"Things like this don't happen in football. I have been a manager (for) nearly 40 years and I've never known anything like this.
"People say, 'He never played for you', but he was my player. I chased him, I wanted him. He was my type of player, a scruffy player with a big heart. It's been a really emotional day, but we wanted to come here, and I'm pleased and proud we came."
NY TIMES, XINHUA, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE.
