Mbappe, Ozil Bid Goodbye to Emiliano Sala After Recovery of Body

“We offer our most heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family of Emiliano,” Cardiff said in a statement.

Police confirmed that the body recovered from the wreckage was of Argentine soccer player Emiliano Sala.

(Photo: AP/Altered by The Quint)

More than two weeks after the plane carrying Emiliano Sala to a new career in the English Premier League crashed into the sea, police on 7 February, confirmed that the body recovered from the wreckage was of the Argentine soccer player.

"The news is so painful," Argentine President Mauricio Macri wrote in remarks translated from Spanish on Twitter, reflecting national concerns at home over the fate of Sala. "My condolences to the family, friends and teammates of Emiliano Sala on this tough moment. We are with you."

At 28, Sala had just secured the biggest move of his career after signing for Cardiff. And before taking that flight on 21 January, he had spent the previous hours bidding farewell to teammates at the French city's soccer team Nantes.

After police confirmed the news, footballers from around the world paid tribute to Sala, who never got to pull on the Cardiff jersey.

"We offer our most heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family of Emiliano," Cardiff City said in a statement. "He and David will forever remain in our thoughts."

Kylian Mbappe, Mesut Ozil joined the fraternity in saying their final goodbye to the soccer player.