Enes Sali
Romanian footballer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Enes Sali (born 23 February 2006) is a professional footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder or a winger for Saudi Pro League club Al-Riyadh, on loan from Major League Soccer club FC Dallas. Born in Canada, he represents Romania at international level.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 23 February 2006 | ||
| Place of birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | ||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team |
Al-Riyadh (on loan from FC Dallas) | ||
| Number | 98 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2012–2017 | Woodbridge Strikers | ||
| 2017–2018 | Barcelona | ||
| 2018–2021 | Gheorghe Hagi Academy | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2024 | Farul Constanța | 50 | (4) |
| 2024– | FC Dallas | 0 | (0) |
| 2024 | → North Texas SC (loan) | 25 | (8) |
| 2025 | → Al-Riyadh (loan) | 8 | (1) |
| 2025 | → North Texas SC (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2026– | → Al-Riyadh (loan) | 8 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2021 | Romania U16 | 3 | (1) |
| 2021–2023 | Romania U17 | 14 | (4) |
| 2022–2023 | Romania U19 | 10 | (2) |
| 2021 | Romania | 1 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 13 March 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 21 November 2023 | |||
Early life
Born in Toronto, Ontario, Sali played youth football for Woodbridge Strikers until the age of 11. In 2017, he 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
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] He began the season with their second team, North Texas SC, in MLS Next Pro, scoring his first goal in his third appearance on 14 April.[7] He made his FC Dallas debut on 1 August 2024, in a 2024 Leagues Cup match against Mexican side Juárez.[8] In January 2025, he was loaned to Al-Riyadh in the Saudi Pro League through July 2025.[9] On 24 January 2026, he re-joined Al-Riyadh on loan.[10]
International career
Born in Canada to Romanian-Turkish parents, Sali was eligible to represent both Canada, Turkey and Romania at international level.
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.[11] Romanian newspaper Gazeta Sporturilor later reported that Canada had also approached him for a possible call up.[12] 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).[13][14]
Personal life
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.[15][16]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 13 March 2026[1]
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs | National cup[a] | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | 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 | — | 3 | 0 | 1[b] | 0 | 1[c] | 0 | 16 | 1 | ||
| Total | 50 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 58 | 4 | ||
| FC Dallas | 2024 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | — | 1[d] | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 2025 | Major League Soccer | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Total | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||
| North Texas SC (loan) | 2024 | MLS Next Pro | 25 | 8 | 4[e] | 1 | — | — | — | 29 | 9 | |||
| Al-Riyadh (loan) | 2024–25 | Saudi Pro League | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 1 | ||||
| North Texas SC (loan) | 2025 | MLS Next Pro | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
| Al-Riyadh (loan) | 2025–26 | Saudi Pro League | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 8 | 0 | ||||
| Career total | 92 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 106 | 14 | ||
- Includes Cupa României
- Appearance in UEFA Champions League
- Appearance in Supercupa României
- Appearance in Leagues Cup
- Appearances in MLS Next Pro Playoffs
International
- As of match played 14 November 2021[17]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Romania | 2021 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 | |
