Marcelo Salas

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Salas and the second or maternal family name is Melinao.
Marcelo Salas
Salas in 2015
Personal information
Full name José Marcelo Salas Melinao[1]
Date of birth (1974-12-24) 24 December 1974 (age 49)
Place of birth Temuco, Chile
Height 1.74 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Striker
Youth career
1989–1991 Deportes Temuco
1991–1993 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)
Total 333 (155)
International career
1993 Chile U20
1996 Chile Olympic 7 (8)
1994–2007 Chile 70 (37)
Medal record
Player
Universidad de Chile
Winner Primera División of Chile 1994
Winner Primera División of Chile 1995
River Plate
Winner Torneo Apertura 1996
Winner Torneo Clausura 1997
Winner Torneo Apertura 1997
Winner Supercopa Libertadores 1997
Winner Torneo Clausura 2004
Lazio
Winner Supercoppa Italiana 1998
Winner UEFA Cup Winners' Cup 1999
Winner UEFA Super Cup 1999
Winner Serie A 2000
Winner Coppa Italia 2000
Juventus
Winner Serie A 2002
Winner Supercoppa Italiana 2002
Winner Serie A 2003
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

José Marcelo Salas Melinao (Latin American Spanish: [maɾˈselo ˈsalas]; born 24 December 1974), nicknamed Matador (due to his goalscoring celebrations),[3] El Fenómeno and Shileno, is a Chilean former footballer who played as a striker. Salas is considered the best striker in the history of Chile.[4][5][6] He stood out during the 1990s and 2000s in clubs such as Universidad de Chile, River Plate, Lazio and Juventus. He was the captain of the Chile national team and the top scorer – scoring 45 goals in total: 37 goals for the Chile national football team (4 in World Cups, 18 in World Cup qualification processes and 15 in friendlies)[7] and 8 goals with the Chile Olympic football team.

He played in Chile, Argentina and Italy, winning titles with each club he joined.

The IFFHS ranked him as the 31st best South American player of the 20th century, the 19th best South American forward of the 20th century and the 3rd best South American forward of the 1990s (integrating the podium with Brazilians players Ronaldo and Romário).[8] In 1997 he ranked 3rd as the "best centre forward in the world" (after players Ronaldo and Gabriel Batistuta) and he was ranked 5th in the "Best Centre Forward" category in the RSS Award for the best footballer of the year, in 1998 and 1999.[9][10][11] He was also named the South American Footballer of the Year in 1997.[12][13][14][15]

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. Between 1996 and 2001 he was considered one of the best forwards in the world, often compared to Ronaldo and Gabriel Batistuta.[16][17]

Salas is considered one of the greatest players in the history of Universidad de Chile, an icon for the football team River Plate of Argentina,[18][19] and one of the greatest foreign players in Lazio's history.[20][21] He played for the Chile national football team at the 1998 FIFA World Cup in France, where he scored four goals in four matches, leading his team to the second round of the competition. Additionally, Salas played for the Chile national football team at two Copa América tournaments, helping his team to reach fourth place in the 1999 edition of the tournament.

Currently, after his retirement as a football player, he has continued linked to the sport, being since May 2013 the president of Deportes Temuco (a club that on that date absorbed Unión Temuco, owned by him from 2008 to April 2013). The club is now in 2nd division of Chile, the Primera B.

  1. ^ "Marcelo Salas". BD Futbol. Retrieved 9 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Marcelo Salas". SS Lazio. Archived from the original on 1 May 2001.
  3. ^ "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.
  4. ^ "Marcelo Salas is the best striker in the history of Chile". ElMercurio.cl. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  5. ^ "World Cup winners in Chile: Marcelo Salas the best striker in history". Rincondelbulla.cl. 27 November 2008.
  6. ^ "Who is the best striker in history". Elperiscopio.cl. 29 March 2017. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
  7. ^ "Players with the most goals in the Chilean team". Red matches. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  8. ^ "IFFHS HISTORY: SOUTH AMERICA – PLAYER OF THE CENTURY (1900–1999)". IFFHS.de. 16 October 2017.
  9. ^ Rec.sport.soccer Player of the Year Award 1997
  10. ^ Rec.sport.soccer Player of the Year Award 1998
  11. ^ Rec.sport.soccer Player of the Year Award 1999
  12. ^ Gabriel Jaime García (29 May 2014). "France 1998 World Cup". Eluniversal.com.
  13. ^ "Marcelo Salas among the best left-handers in the history of South America". 24horas.cl. 20 March 2013.
  14. ^ "The ten best South American footballers in history". PasionLibertadores.com. 19 March 2013.
  15. ^ Diego Fernando Pineda and Leyner Camilo López (16 September 2013). "The best scorers in the history of South American football". Pasionfutbol.com.
  16. ^ "Passarella compared Batistuta with Ronaldo, Salas and the goals". LaNacion.com.ar. 6 February 1998.
  17. ^ "Salas, un bomber in bianco e nero". Tuttosport.com. 27 January 2019.
  18. ^ "River Plate includes Marcelo Salas in the gallery of idols". mercurioantofagasta.cl. 27 August 2007.
  19. ^ "Marcelo Salas was considered in the eleven ideal historico de River Plate". elperiscopio.cl. 23 November 2018. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  20. ^ "Marcelo Salas' phrase that moved the fans of Lazio and Universidad de Chile". elperiscopio.cl. 10 March 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  21. ^ "Marcelo Salas is received as an idol during his visit to Lazio in Italy". t13.cl. 10 March 2017.