Salvador Ballesta

Football player infobox|
playername = Salva
fullname = Salvador Ballesta Vialco


dateofbirth = birth date and age|1975|5|22
cityofbirth = Zaragoza
countryofbirth = Spain
height = Height|m=1.84
nickname =
currentclub = Málaga CF
clubnumber = 9
position = Striker
youthyears = 1994–1995
youthclubs = Sevilla FC
years = 1995–1998
1995–1996
1998–2000
2000–2001
2001–2005
2003
2003–2004
2004–2005
2005–
2007
clubs = Sevilla FC
Écija Balompié (loan)
Racing Santander
Atlético Madrid
Valencia CF
→Bolton Wanderers (loan)
→Málaga CF (loan)
→Atlético Madrid (loan)
Málaga CF
→Levante UD (loan)
caps(goals) = 49 (15)
17 (6)
52 (29)
33 (21)
24 (5)
6 (0)
34 (18)
28 (7)
73 (23)
14 (5)
nationalyears = 2000–2004
nationalteam = Spain
nationalcaps(goals) = 4 (0)
pcupdate = 1 August 2008
ntupdate = 1 August 2008

Salvador Ballesta Vialco, aka Salva (born 22 May 1975 in Zaragoza), is a Spanish football striker who has played for seven different top division clubs since 1996. He currently plays with "La Liga" side Málaga CF.

Club career

After having made his professional debut with Sevilla FC, Salva won the Pichichi Trophy in the 1999-00 season, when he scored 27 goals to lead the Spanish league for Racing de Santander. He then moved to "Segunda División" with Atlético de Madrid (freshly relegated) and proceeded to lead the side with 21 league goals, although the "colchoneros" did not return to the first level.

In 2001, Salva joined Valencia CF, netting 5 goals to help the side become league champion after a 31-year drought. He was rarely used in the following season, and was subsequently briefly part of the Bolton Wanderers side which avoided relegation in 2003. He had another two loan stints from 2003-05, with Málaga CF (18 league goals) and Atlético Madrid.

In January 2007, Salva joined first division strugglers Levante UD, on loan from Málaga (then in the second division). On February 4, he played his first league match for Levante on an away win over Real Madrid, in which Ballesta scored the only goal. [cite web|title=Tactical Formation|work=Football-Lineups.com
url=http://www.football-lineups.com/wiki/_match3606.php | accessdate=February 7 | accessyear=2007] After the season's end, he returned to Málaga, and scored 7 league goals to help the Andalusia outfit achieve promotion.

International career

Salva played 4 international matches with Spain, the first one in a friendly home match against Poland, on January 26, 2000 (3-0), subbing in for Ismael Urzaiz with 20 minutes remaining.

Personal

Off the court, Salva is notorious for his outspoken personality [ [http://video.filestube.com/video,c135c04bce35606b03e9.html Salva statements after 11-M terrorist attempts] es icon] and his political beliefs, far to the right of most of his peers' and routinely characterized as overtly nationalistic, [ [http://www.pandeblog.net/politica/2006/04/salva-ballesta-ataca-de-nuevo-que-viva-espana-hijos-de-puta/ "Long live Spain, sons of bitches!"] es icon] [ [http://www.pandeblog.net/humor/2006/01/salva-ballesta-y-la-espanolidad/ Salva Ballesta and "Spanishness"] es icon] ultraconservative, militaristic [ [http://www.nodo50.org/tortuga/article.php3?id_article=3855 "The Spanish Armed Forces are being devalued"] es icon] and at times even fascist, [ [http://www.kaosenlared.net/noticia/perlas-fascistas-futbolista-salva-ballesta-denunciado-barca-injuriar-o Fascist highlights by Salva Ballesta, sued for insulting Oleguer] es icon] as well as his aggressive demeanor towards fellow players at the opposite side of the political spectrum. [ [http://www.pandeblog.net/politica/2007/02/salva-ballesta-dice-que-respeta-mas-a-una-caca-de-perro-que-a-oleguer-presas/ Salva opinion on Oleguer] es icon]

References

External links

* [http://www.lfp.es/historico/primera/plantillas/historial.asp?jug=6207 Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional] es icon
* [http://www.malagacf.es/jugadores/fichajugador.php?recordid=12684 Málaga CF profile] es icon
* [http://futbol.sportec.es/seleccion/ficha_jugador.asp?j=582&n=salva/ballesta/salvador/ballesta/vialco National team data] es icon