Chinese Youth Footballer Dies After Training Injury in Spain

BEIJING: A promising young Chinese footballer, Guo Jiaxuan, has tragically passed away after suffering a severe head injury during a training session in Spain, local media reported Thursday.

Guo, a defender, fell into a coma last month following an accident during a training match between Beijing men’s U-20 team and Spanish club RC Alcobendas in Madrid. He was later declared “brain dead” by doctors and transferred back to China for further treatment.

Despite efforts to save him, Guo’s condition worsened, and he passed away on Wednesday evening at Beijing Tiantan Hospital, just one day short of his nineteenth birthday.

Guo, who had previously played for the U-19 team of Beijing Guoan and was selected for China’s U-17 team in 2023, was also part of FC Bayern’s World Squad, an initiative by the German club to discover global talent.

In a heartfelt tribute, Guo’s brother shared a black-and-white photo of him on social media, saying, “He’ll forever be frozen on the last day of his 18th year.”

Read more: Snowstorm delays Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami debut

Guo’s family has called for transparency regarding the circumstances of the incident and have demanded access to video footage of the match and details about his medical treatment and insurance.

The Beijing Football Association expressed their condolences, stating they were “deeply saddened” by the tragedy and pledged to assist with follow-up actions.