Marcelo Salas

José Marcelo Salas Melinao (American Spanish: [maɾˈselo ˈsalas]; born 24 December 1974), dubbed as El Matador (due to his goalscoring celebrations),[1] El Fenómeno,[2] and Shileno, is a retired Chilean footballer who played as a striker.

Marcelo Salas
Salas in 2015
Personal information
Full name José Marcelo Salas Melinao
Date of birth (1974-12-24) 24 December 1974
Place of birth Temuco, Chile
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Playing position(s) Striker
Youth career
1989–1992 Deportes Temuco
1992–1993 Universidad de Chile
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1993–1996 Universidad de Chile 77 (50)
1996–1998 River Plate 53 (24)
1998–2001 Lazio 79 (34)
2001–2006 Juventus 18 (2)
2003–2005 → River Plate (loan) 32 (10)
2005–2006 → Universidad de Chile (loan) 38 (18)
2006–2008 Universidad de Chile 44 (19)
National team
1996 Chile Olympic 7 (8)
1994–2007 Chile 70 (37)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only
This article uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Salas and the second or maternal family name is Melinao.

Is considered the "best striker in the history of Chile"[3][4][5] and one of the best soccer players of all time in his country. He stood out during the decades of 1990s and 2000s in important clubs such as Universidad de Chile, River Plate , Lazio and Juventus. He was captain of the Chilean national team, being the top scorer with whom he scored 45 goals, 37 in absolute terms (4 in World Cups, 18 in World Cup qualification processes and 15 in friendlies)[6] and 8 with the Olympic team.

He has played in Chile, Argentina and Italy, winning titles with each club with whom he has played, and was voted South American Footballer of the Year in 1997. A powerful and tenacious forward, with good technique, who was well-known for his deft touch with his left foot, as well as his aerial ability, Salas had a prolific goalscoring record throughout his career;[2][7][8][9][10] with 37 goals in 70 international appearances between 1994 and 2007, he is the Chilean national team's second-highest goalscorer of all time, behind only Alexis Sánchez. He appeared for the Chilean national team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, where he scored four goals in four matches, leading his nation to the second round of the competition. As well as that World Cup, Salas played for Chile at two Copa América tournaments, helping his nation to a fourth-place finish in the 1999 edition of the tournament.

Club career

Universidad de Chile

Born in Temuco, Salas was a youth product of the Deportes Temuco youth team until his father took him to Santiago de Chile to be incorporated into Universidad de Chile.

Salas made his debut playing for Universidad de Chile in 1993 and became a starter on 4 January 1994 against Cobreloa where he would also score a goal. Salas helped the team win back to back titles in 1994 and 1995 leaving a trail of 74 goals which included a strong 1996 campaign in the Copa Libertadores.

River Plate

Later in 1996, Salas moved on to Argentina to play with River Plate of the Argentine first division, a move that was met with some criticism by the Argentine press as a Chile born player had never really had an impact playing in Argentina. The move was also criticised by Argentine great Diego Maradona as Salas was scouted by arch rival Boca Juniors prior to joining River. Salas quickly silenced his critics and won over Argentine fans, as a major contributor to one of the club's greatest runs ever. From 1996–1998 Salas scored 26 goals in 51 games, helping River to win the Torneo de Apertura 1996, the Clausura 1997, the Apertura 1997 and the 1997 Supercopa Sudamericana. These accomplishments would cement his legacy in Argentina as one of its greatest foreign born players earning the nickname, "El shileno (sic) Salas".

Lazio and Juventus

In the same year, on the strength of his performances both in Argentina and the World Cup, he was sold to S.S. Lazio in Italy for US$18 million.

Salas played in Italy for five years, three with S.S. Lazio (1998–2001), a key catalyst in helping turn around a Lazio team that hadn't won a Scudetto since the 1973–1974 season. His first Serie A appearance was on 4 October 1998. He scored his first goal playing for Lazio a few days later against Inter. With Lazio he won an Italian cup, a Cup Winners' Cup and a European Super Cup, scoring the match's only goal in the latter, in a 1–0 win over Manchester United. In 2001, he was transferred to Juventus F.C. for 55 billion lire[11] (€28.4 million by fixed exchange rate; 22 billion lire cash plus Darko Kovačević[11][12]) where Salas would endure the worst moments of his career; he was hampered by injuries, allowing him to participate in only 14 games and scoring just 2 goals.

Return to River Plate

In 2003 Salas was loaned back to River Plate[13] but was unable to regain his old form as he was still hampered by injuries. Constantly in and out of the lineup and only able to score 17 goals in 43 matches Salas considered retiring from football, but decided he would make one final push with River. His return would spark River to a semi-final appearance in the Copa Libertadores (Salas scoring a hat-trick en route) but they lost to eventual champions Sao-Paulo.

Salas in 2008

Universidad de Chile

In late July 2005, it was confirmed that he would return to his original football team, Universidad de Chile on a temporary deal from Juventus,[14] and the never-ending love of the fans of Universidad de Chile for Salas was evident. Although the press was tough on him for being an injury-prone player (Salas played just 10 games in 2005), he carried Universidad de Chile to the cup finals. The 2005 final was decided on a shootout, won by Universidad Católica. After retirement rumors flourished in the summer of 2006, Salas began campaign with Universidad de Chile and led the team to the final one more time, which saw Universidad de Chile dropping the title to archrivals Colo-Colo on penalties.

After a 6-month layoff, Salas confirmed he would return to his beloved team with a contract for a year and a half, thus continuing the whirl-wind that has been his career.

Salas announced his retirement on 26 November 2008, at the age of 33.

Retirement

Salas played his farewell game on 2 June 2009. Amongst the invited players were his friends from the 1993–1996 Universidad de Chile squads, River Plate, Juventus, plus members of Chile's France '98 World Cup squad. More than 50,000 people showed up to pay him one final salute. Playing for both sides, he managed to score three goals.[15]

International career

In 1994, Salas debuted for the Chile national football team as a 19-year-old, scoring his first international goal in a 3–3 draw with Argentina.

During the 1998 World Cup qualification campaign, Salas scored 11 times, including hat-tricks against Colombia and Peru, as the team qualified for the finals for the first time since 1982.[16]

Salas' farewell match on 2 June 2009 at the Estadio Nacional

In the build up to the 1998 World Cup finals, Salas scored both goals as Chile beat England 2–0 in a friendly match at Wembley Stadium. At the tournament, Salas scored four times in four matches. His two goals against Italy gave la Roja a 2–2 draw with the 1994 runners-up. He scored a consolation goal as Chile were defeated 4–1 by Brazil in the second round.[16]

Due to his injury problems, Salas's appearances for Chile became limited after the 1999 Copa América. He scored four goals in nine appearances during the team's unsuccessful 2002 World Cup qualification campaign and during the 2006 World Cup qualifiers overtook Iván Zamorano as the nation's all-time top goalscorer with his 35th goal against Bolivia.[16]

On 18 November 2007, Salas scored his final goals for Chile during qualification for the 2010 World Cup, as la Roja drew 2–2 with Uruguay.[16]

Career statistics

Club
Club performance League Cup Continental Total
SeasonClubLeague AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals AppsGoals
Chile League Copa Chile South America Total
1993Universidad de ChilePrimera División151151
199425271512624641
1995271740753822
1996105521252712
Argentina League Cup South America Total
1996–97River PlatePrimera División2611-403011
1997–982713-1073720
Italy League Coppa Italia Europe Total
1998–99LazioSerie A301575644324
1999–002812301154217
2000–012172190328
2001–02JuventusSerie A712020111
2002–031112121153
Argentina League Cup South America Total
2003–04River PlatePrimera División176-42218
2004–05154-75229
Chile League Copa Chile South America Total
2005Universidad de ChilePrimera División105-105
20062813-2813
2007148-148
200830113011
Total Chile 1598724142512208113
Argentina 8534251411048
Italy 973616730914353
Career total 33315540218035453248[17]

International

[18][19]

Chile national team
YearAppsGoals
199431
1995124
1996116
199779
19981010
199950
200072
200122
200200
200300
200440
200531
200600
200762
Total7037

International goals
Score and Result lists Chile's goals first
#DateVenueOpponentScoreCompetition
118 May 1994Santiago Argentina3–3International match
229 March 1995Los Angeles Mexico2–1International match
322 April 1995Temuco Iceland1–1International match
428 May 1995Commonwealth Stadium, Edmonton Canada2–1Canada Cup
511 October 1995Concepción Canada2–0International match
614 February 1996Coquimbo Peru4–0International match
726 May 1996Santiago Bolivia2–0International match
826 May 1996Santiago Bolivia2–0International match
96 July 1996Santiago Ecuador4–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
1025 August 1996Liberia Costa Rica1–1International match
1112 November 1996Santiago Uruguay1–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification
128 June 1997Quito Ecuador1–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
135 July 1997Santiago Colombia4–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
145 July 1997Santiago Colombia4–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
155 July 1997Santiago Colombia4–11998 FIFA World Cup qualification
1610 September 1997Santiago Argentina1–21998 FIFA World Cup qualification
1712 October 1997Santiago Peru4–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification
1812 October 1997Santiago Peru4–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification
1912 October 1997Santiago Peru4–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification
2016 November 1997Santiago Bolivia3–01998 FIFA World Cup qualification
2111 February 1998Wembley Stadium, London England2–0International match
2211 February 1998Wembley Stadium, London England2–0International match
2322 April 1998Santiago Colombia2–2International match
2424 May 1998Santiago Uruguay2–2International match
2531 May 1998Montélimar Tunisia3–2International match
264 June 1998Avignon Morocco1–1International match
2711 June 1998Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Italy2–21998 FIFA World Cup
2811 June 1998Parc Lescure, Bordeaux Italy2–21998 FIFA World Cup
2917 June 1998Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne Austria1–11998 FIFA World Cup
3027 June 1998Parc des Princes, Paris Brazil1–41998 FIFA World Cup
3129 June 2000Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago Paraguay3–12002 FIFA World Cup qualification
3215 August 2000Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago Brazil3–02002 FIFA World Cup qualification
3314 August 2001Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago Bolivia2–22002 FIFA World Cup qualification
3414 August 2001Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago Bolivia2–22002 FIFA World Cup qualification
354 June 2005Estadio Nacional de Chile, Santiago Bolivia3–12006 FIFA World Cup qualification
3618 November 2007Estadio Centenario, Montevideo Uruguay2–22010 FIFA World Cup qualification
3718 November 2007Estadio Centenario, Montevideo Uruguay2–22010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club

Universidad de Chile

  • Primera División de Chile (2): 1994, 1995

River Plate

Lazio

Juventus

Individual
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gollark: http://kspalaiologos.now.im/doc/MalbolgeLisp/MalbolgeLisp.gifWhy is this a *GIF*? Why would you use a *GIF* for *videos*? This is extreme heresy.
gollark: > the real mystery is the number of dollars in ly's bank accaunt3.
gollark: Yes. Honestly, that might have worked? Just add it in some mostly ignored submodule and never tell anyone.
gollark: I made something mildly mysterious in potatOS, but someone decompiled and reverse-engineered it.

References
  1. "El Matador dice addio, Salas lascia il calcio" (in Italian). Sky.it. 3 June 2009. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  2. Riath Al-Samarrai (14 November 2013). "Those Chileans weren't half hot... A look at the five best players to emerge from the South American country". The Daily Mail. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  3. "Marcelo Salas is the best striker in the history of Chile". ElMercurio.cl. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  4. "World Cup winners in Chile: Marcelo Salas the best striker in history". Rincondelbulla.cl. 27 November 2008.
  5. "Who is the best striker in history". Elperiscopio.cl. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  6. "Players with the most goals in the Chilean team". Red matches. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  7. "Marcelo Salas". Britannica. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  8. Alan Nixon (17 November 1997). "Football: Ferguson looks to South America for pounds 10m deal on Salas". The Independent. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  9. Stefano Petrucci (3 January 1999). "Lazio, la coppia atomica" [Lazio, the atomic pair] (in Italian). Il Corriere della Sera. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  10. Stefano Bedeschi (25 December 2015). "Gli eroi in bianconero: Marcelo SALAS" [The heroes in black and white: Marcelo Salas] (in Italian). Tutto Juve. Retrieved 18 January 2016.
  11. "E' ufficiale la cessione di Marcelo Salas alla Juve e l'acquisto di Darko Kovacevic" (Press release) (in Italian). Rome: S.S. Lazio. 24 August 2001. Archived from the original on 7 September 2001. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  12. "Salas joins Juventus". BBC Sport. 17 August 2001. Retrieved 6 April 2010.
  13. "Reports and Financial Statements at 30 June 2004" (PDF). Juventus F.C. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008.
  14. "Six-Monthly Report at 31 December 2005" (PDF). Juventus F.C. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 December 2008.
  15. "La Nación - Diario La Nación". Archived from the original on 6 October 2009.
  16. "Marcelo SALAS". FIFA. Retrieved 25 November 2013.
  17. S.A., COPESA, Consorcio Periodistico de Chile. "Los 10 más grandes goleadores de Chile - Deportes - La Tercera Edición Impresa".
  18. "Marcelo Salas". National Football Teams. Benjamin Strack-Zimmerman.
  19. "José Marcelo Salas - Goals in International Matches".
  20. Mar, I. Municipalidad de Viña del. "20 de diciembre 1997: Salas, Chileno, Matador, Fenómeno..." Ciudad del Deporte - Viña del Mar Chile.
  21. "FRANCIA 1998 | Copa mundial de la FIFA Brasil 2014". m.eluniversal.com.co.
  22. "Batistuta y Ronaldo, en la fiesta de los italianos". www.clarin.com.
  23. "IFFHS HISTORY : SOUTH AMERICA - PLAYER OF THE CENTURY (1900-1999) | IFFHS". iffhs.de.
  24. S.A.P, El Mercurio (15 December 2009). "Embajada argentina en Chile honra a Marcelo Salas con importante distinción | Emol.com". Emol.
  25. "Los mejores goleadores de la historia del fútbol sudamericano". Pasión Fútbol.
  26. "Los diez mejores futbolistas sudamericanos zurdos de la historia". Pasión Fútbol.
  27. "8 delanteros sudamericanos de los '90 que hicieron historia en el fútbol mundial". 90min.com. 16 October 2016.
  28. "How Marcelo Salas became Chile's greatest goalscorer". 23 August 2017.
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