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    Enes Sali

    From Wikipedia - Reading time: 6 min

    Enes Sali
    Personal information
    Date of birth (2006-02-23) 23 February 2006 (age 17)
    Place of birth Toronto, Ontario, Canada
    Height 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1]
    Position(s) Attacking midfielder, winger
    Team information
    Current team
    		 FC Dallas
    Youth career
    2012–2017 Woodbridge Strikers
    2017–2018 Barcelona
    2018–2021 Gheorghe Hagi Academy
    Senior career*
    Years Team Apps (Gls)
    2021–2023 Farul Constanța 50 (4)
    2024– FC Dallas 0 (0)
    International career‡
    2021 Romania U16 3 (1)
    2021–2023 Romania U17 14 (4)
    2022– Romania U19 10 (2)
    2021– Romania 1 (0)
    *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 25 November 2023
    ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 4 December 2023

    Enes Sali (born 23 February 2006) is a Romanian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger for Major League Soccer club FC Dallas and the Romania national team.

    Early life[edit]

    Born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, he played youth football for Woodbridge Strikers until the age of 11. In 2017, Sali was scouted by Barcelona during an international tournament and moved to the Catalans for two seasons, before they encountered issues with FIFA and had to release him. Former Romanian international Gheorghe Hagi then persuaded Sali's father to move back to Romania with his son, in order for the youngster to join Viitorul Constanța's academy.[2]

    Club career[edit]

    Sali registered his senior debut for the now-renamed Farul Constanța on 9 August 2021, aged 15, in a 1–0 Liga I victory over Sepsi OSK.[3] On 13 September that year, he became the youngest player to score in the Liga I at 15 years, six months and 21 days, after netting the last goal in a 5–0 defeat of Academica Clinceni.[4] On 11 October 2023, he was named by English newspaper The Guardian as one of the best players born in 2006 worldwide.[5]

    Sali signed a multi-year contract with American Major League Soccer club FC Dallas on 4 December 2023.[6]

    International career[edit]

    On 3 November 2021, aged 15, Sali was selected by the Romania national team for the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Iceland and Liechtenstein.[7] Romanian newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor later reported that Canada had also approached him for a possible call up.[8]

    Sali made his senior debut on 14 November by coming on as an 82nd minute substitute for Andrei Ivan in the latter match, and became the youngest European player to appear in a competitive game at 15 years and 264 days (Lucas Knecht holds the record for any player in any match type).[9][10]

    Personal life[edit]

    Sali's parents met in Constanța, Romania, and are both of Turkish descent. After getting married, they relocated to Canada where his mother's family had been living for several decades. In 2019, Sali's father moved back to Romania with his son.[11][12]

    Career statistics[edit]

    Club[edit]

    As of match played 25 November 2023[13]
    Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
    Club Season League National Cup Continental Other Total
    Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
    Farul Constanța 2021–22 Liga I 20 1 0 0 — — 20 1
    2022–23 Liga I 19 2 3 0 — — 22 2
    2023–24 Liga I 11 1 2 0 1[a] 0 1 0 15 1
    Career total 50 4 5 0 1 0 1 0 57 4
    1. ^ Appearance(s) in UEFA Champions League

    International[edit]

    As of match played 14 November 2021[14]
    Appearances and goals by national team and year
    National team Year Apps Goals
    Romania
    2021 1 0
    Total 1 0

    Honours[edit]

    Farul Constanța[13]

    • Liga I: 2022–23
    • Supercupa României runner-up: 2023

    References[edit]

    1. ^ "Prezentare Enes Sali" (in Romanian). FCV Farul Constanța. 5 October 2021.
    2. ^ "A dat un gol fabulos și l-a vrăjit pe Hagi! Cine e Enes Sali, puștiul care a marcat ca Maradona" [He scored a fabulous goal and enchanted Hagi! Who is Enes Sali, the kid who scored like Maradona] (in Romanian). Eurosport România. 11 May 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
    3. ^ "Un fotbalist de doar 15 ani a debutat pentru Farul! A fost și în La Masia" [A 15-year-old football player made his debut for Farul! He was also in La Masia] (in Romanian). Sport.ro. 9 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
    4. ^ "Enes Sali, direct în istoria fotbalului românesc! Record bătut în Liga 1 după 44 de ani" [Enes Sali, straight into the history of Romanian football! Record broken in Liga 1 after 44 years]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 13 September 2021. Retrieved 13 September 2021.
    5. ^ Christenson, Marcus; Bloor, Steven; Blight, Garry (11 October 2023). "Next Generation 2023: 60 of the best young talents in world football". theguardian.com. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
    6. ^ "FC Dallas Signs Romanian International Enes Sali". FCDallas.com. FC Dallas. Retrieved 4 December 2023.
    7. ^ "26 de jucători convocați de Mirel Rădoi pentru partidele cu Islanda și Liechtenstein din finalul preliminariilor CM 2022" [26 players called up by Mirel Rădoi for the final WC 2022 qualifying matches against Iceland and Liechtenstein] (in Romanian). Romanian Football Federation. 3 November 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
    8. ^ "EXCLUSIV Naționala care stă la pândă pentru Enes Sali » Tatăl jucătorului, contactat de antrenor: "Eu asta sper"" [EXCLUSIVE The national team lurking for Enes Sali » The player's father, contacted by the coach: "This is what I hope"]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 9 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
    9. ^ Grant, Tom (14 November 2021). "Who is Enes Sali? The 15-year-old record-breaking Romania international". Football Transfers.
    10. ^ Lawrence, Saoirse (14 November 2021). "Enes Sali (15) the youngest international ever? Nope, he's not even in the top 30". Netherlands News Live.
    11. ^ "Ce-i unește pe Enes Sali și Emma Răducanu, senzațiile momentului în fotbalul românesc și tenis" [What unites Enes Sali and Emma Răducanu, the current sensations of Romanian football and tennis]. Gazeta Sporturilor (in Romanian). 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
    12. ^ "Cum a trăit tatăl lui Enes Sali golul istoric al puștiului de la Farul: "Eram puțin supărat pentru că nu a dat pasă"" [How Enes Sali's father lived the historic goal of the Farul youngster: "I was a little upset because he didn't pass"] (in Romanian). Digi Sport. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 3 November 2021.
    13. ^ a b Enes Sali at Soccerway. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
    14. ^ "Enes Sali". European Football. Retrieved 15 November 2021.

    External links[edit]

    This article is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
    Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enes Sali
    Status: article is cached
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