Football unites in grief as Emiliano Sala’s body officially identified after being found in plane wreckage

FOOTBALL was united in grief for tragic Emiliano Sala after police confirmed the body pulled from the plane crash wreck was his.

Cardiff City, who had signed the £15million Argentine striker just days before his disappearance on a flight over the English Channel, issued a heartfelt statement.

And stars from around the world including Kylian Mbappe, Alexandre Lacazette and Benjamin Mendy led the tributes online after Dorset Police said they had identified the body.

A statement posted on Cardiff's official website read: "It is with great sadness that we report the following statement, issued on February 7 2019 by the Dorset Police: 'The body brought to Portland Port today, Thursday 7 February 2019, has been formally identified by HM Coroner for Dorset as that of professional footballer Emiliano Sala.

"'The families of Mr Sala and the pilot David Ibbotson have been updated with this news and will continue to be supported by specially-trained family liaison officers.'

"We offer our most heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the family of Emiliano. He and David will forever remain in our thoughts."

France World Cup winner and Paris Saint-Germain sensation Mbappe - who donated £26,000  to help fund the private search for the plane Sala was on - posted a photo of a candle burning with 'Sala 9' on it.

He wrote alongside the image: "RIP EMI."

Arsenal star Lacazette posted a photo of Sala with the message "1990-2019 RIP."

Man City star Mendy posted a photo of Sala celebrating when in action for Nantes and wrote: "RIP."

Cardiff defender Sol Bamba tweeted: "Tragic. May you rest in peace."

Chelsea's Batshuayi, on loan at Crystal Palace, wrote: "Resting in peace."

The Argentine Football Association wrote on their official Twitter: "We send our condolences to all your family and loved ones."

Sala, 28, was identified by the Dorset coroner today after his body was removed from the plane, which had been flown by pilot David Ibbotson.

The footballer's family has been told the devastating news and they being supported by specially-trained family liaison officers.

"Our thoughts remain with them at this difficult time," a spokesman for Dorset Police said.

"HM Coroner will continue to investigate the circumstances of this death supported by Dorset Police."

Pictures today showed the body bag being stretchered into a silver ambulance before being transported to the coroner for official identification.

The Piper Malibu N264DB plane went missing at around on January 21 en route from Nantes to Cardiff, where Sala was due to join his new club after a £15m transfer.

The wreckage was discovered by the Air Accident Investigation Branch and robots subs were used to pull the body out of the 220ft-deep water "in as dignified a way as possible" yesterday.