Salva

Salvador Ballesta Vialco, aka Salva (born 22 May 1975 in Zaragoza), is a Spain football (soccer) striker who has played for seven different top division football club 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 La Liga 1999-00, when he scored 27 goals to lead the La Liga for Racing de Santander. He then moved to Segunda División with Atlético de Madrid (La Liga 1999-00) 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 La Liga 2001-02 after a 31-year drought. He was rarely used in the following season, and was subsequently briefly part of the Bolton Wanderers F.C. 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.After the La Liga 2007-08, 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 national football team, the first one in a friendly home match against Poland national football team, on January 26, 2000 (3-0), substitute (football) for Ismael Urzaiz with 20 minutes remaining.

Personal

Off the court, Salva is notorious for his outspoken personalityand his political beliefs, far to the right of most of his peers' and routinely characterized as overtly Spanish nationalism, ultraconservative, militaristicand at times even fascist,as well as his aggressive demeanor towards fellow players at the opposite side of the political spectrum.