Salva
Personal information
Full name	Salvador Ballesta Vialco
Date of birth	May 22, 1975 (1975-05-22) (age 34)
Place of birth	Zaragoza, Spain
Height	1.84 m (6 ft +1⁄2 in)
Playing position	Striker
Club information
Current club	Albacete
Number	14
Youth career
1994–1995	Sevilla
Senior career1
Years	Club	App (Gls)*
1995–1998 1995–1996 1998–2000 2000–2001 2001–2005 2003 2003–2004 2004–2005 2005–2009 2007 2009–	Sevilla → Écija (loan) Racing Santander Atlético Madrid Valencia → Bolton Wanderers (loan) → Málaga (loan) → Atlético Madrid (loan) Málaga → Levante (loan) Albacete	049 (15) 017 0(6) 052 (29) 033 (21) 024 0(5) 006 0(0) 034 (18) 028 0(7) 087 (28) 014 0(5) 06 0(3)
National team
1996–1998 1997 2000–2004	Spain U21 Spain U23 Spain	009 0(2) 004 0(2) 004 0(0)
1 Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 31 August 2009. * Appearances (Goals)

Salvador Ballesta Vialco, aka Salva (born May 22, 1975 in Zaragoza, Aragon), is a Spanish footballer who currently plays with Albacete Balompié, as a striker.

A goal-poacher noted for his flair and workrate, he played for seven different top division clubs.

[edit] Club career

After he had made his professional debuts with Sevilla FC, Salva won the Pichichi Trophy in the 1999–2000 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 five 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.^[1] He had another two loan stints from 2003–05, with Málaga CF (18 league goals) and Atlético Madrid, being subsequently released and signing with the former.^[2]

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.^[3] After the season's end, he returned to Málaga, and scored seven league goals to help the Andalusia outfit achieve promotion.

As he spent most of 2008–09 hampered by recurrent injuries, Salva was still able to contribute, notably coming from the bench against neighbours UD Almería and helping turn the score from 0–2 to a 3–2 home win with two goals, on February 9, 2009. On March 15, he added another brace against another neighbouring club, in a 2–2 home draw against former club Sevilla. When the season ended, he was released after his contract expired.

In the dying hours of the 2009 August transfer window, Salva signed a 1+1 contract with Albacete Balompié, aged 34.

[edit] International career

Salva played four 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.

[edit] Honours

[edit] Club

Valencia:

• Spanish League: 2001–02

[edit] Country

Spain U21:

• UEFA European Under-21 Football Championship: 1998

[edit] Individual

Racing Santander:

• Pichichi Trophy: 1999–2000

Atlético Madrid:

• Pichichi Trophy Second Division: 2000–01

[edit] Personal

Off the pitch, Salva is notorious for his outspoken personality^[4] and his political beliefs, far to the right of most of his peers' and routinely characterized as overtly nationalistic,^[5][6] ultraconservative, militaristic^[7] and at times even fascist,^[8] as well as his aggressive demeanor towards fellow players at the opposite side of the political spectrum.^[9]

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Málaga CF profile (Spanish)
• Stats at Liga de Fútbol Profesional (Spanish)
• BDFutbol profile
• National team data (Spanish)