Emiliano Sala died in a plane crash in January 2019 while joining his new club, Cardiff.
Several residents of Carquefou, near Nantes, decided to call on Gabriel Griffa, an Argentine artist, to create a fresco in tribute to the FCN player.
Gabriel Griffa had already made several murals of the player in Argentina.
" I do not believe it.
It was unlikely.
I thought we were going to find him.
I believed in it until the end.
“This January 21, 2019, Aurélie remembers it as if it were yesterday.
That night, the plane in which Emiliano Sala is found disappears from radar.
Leaving for Cardiff, the FC Nantes player dies in a plane crash.
A tragic disappearance, which touched the hearts of all supporters of the Yellows and Greens.
But also that of the inhabitants of Carquefou.
Because it is in this town on the outskirts of Nantes, that the Argentine player lived.
Here, he was popular with the locals.
“He was a normal man, who didn't take himself for a star.
We liked him very much here.
People did not see him only as a player, but also as a man, ”explain Jean-Philippe, Lydie and Aurélie, facing the face of the player, freshly painted on a wall of the Moulin Boisseau stadium, in Carquefou.
“We have hair that stands on end.
It's a lot of memories that come to the surface, ”says Aurélie.
"It's something strong"
Indeed, a fresco has just been created, in homage to Emiliano Sala, this Argentinian who never lets go, as Nantes supporters have been singing in the stadiums for more than three years now.
This painting was a long-standing project, and echoes the one that had been done in Progreso, the player's hometown, in October 2019, by the Argentinian painter Gabriel Griffa.
Neither one nor two, the three inhabitants then decided to get in touch with the artist.
“He immediately answered yes.
Then everything came together, we set up the association and it happened very quickly.
This fresco should have been done earlier but the health crisis decided otherwise.
Whatever, the project remained in the heads of the people of Loire, and in the spirit of the Argentine painter,
Through Emiliano Sala, this fresco today creates a link between Nantes and Argentina.
On this painting, the face of the player and inhabitant of Carquefou, the gaze turned towards the sky.
Quite a symbol for its author, who comes to paint for the first time outside the borders of his country.
“In Argentina, we are used to representing Emiliano other than as a player.
He looks up to the sky.
It's like a reflection of himself, like he's looking the other way.
For Argentines, there is always this link with the heavens, without God we are nothing,” explains Gabriel Griffa.
“And painting in a football stadium is something strong for me.
Doing it as close as possible to what his life has been is an honor for me.
»
Access to this content has been blocked to respect your choice of consent
By clicking on "
I ACCEPT
", you accept the deposit of cookies by external services and will thus have access to the content of our partners
I ACCEPT
And to better remunerate 20 Minutes, do not hesitate to accept all cookies, even for one day only, via our "I accept for today" button in the banner below.
More information on the Cookie Management Policy page.
A passion for football in his paintings
Made in a few days, this painting represents a lot for the artist.
“I spent 20 days in Progreso, with his friends, his neighbors, his family.
They told me who he was as a person, beyond the football player.
That's what you have to remember about him, that he was a beautiful person.
“A fresco he made, not without emotion: “It's one of the most emotional paintings I've had to do.
I have painted over 40 different frescoes.
The ones I made of Emi touch me a lot, because I know her family, her story, it's more personal.
It's as if I had known him”, says Gabriel, a big football fan, but “better painter than footballer!
“, he says, smiling.
A passion that he perpetuates through his paintings.
Like that of Angel Di Maria, Argentine player of PSG,
Gabriel Griffa will also have the opportunity to vibrate at La Beaujoire, on Sunday April 24, during the Ligue 1 match between the FCN and the Girondins de Bordeaux.
A strong moment for him, especially when the 9th minute of play arrives and the chants of Nantes supporters in honor of their striker.
“I saw it on television.
It must be amazing!
To be able to share these moments in a stadium is wonderful.
»
Sport
Death of Emiliano Sala: The organizer of the theft sentenced to eighteen months in prison
Sport
Death of Emiliano Sala: "Don't tell anyone", text messages from David Henderson revealed during the trial
Nantes
Soccer
Emiliano Sala
FC Nantes
Argentina
Tribute
Pays de la Loire