Ligue 1

French league honors Sala, Nantes retires his No 9 jersey

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 11:11 p.m. ET

LONDON (AP) — Tributes are being paid across soccer to Argentine player Emiliano Sala, with the French league announcing a minute's applause before matches.

French club Nantes says it will retire the No. 9 jersey worn by Sala before he was sold last month to Cardiff in the English Premier League.

The 28-year-old Sala was flying to south Wales to start a new chapter in his career when his plane disappeared from radar on Jan. 21 above the English Channel.

The wreckage was found only on Sunday and a body recovered was confirmed as Sala's on Thursday. Authorities are yet to find pilot David Ibbotson, the other person on board the small aircraft.

Nantes says "Emiliano will always be among the legends who have written the great history of Nantes We have lost a friend, a talented player, an exemplary teammate."

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