3 hours ago
2
A Spanish football player has died after a shard of glass from a broken shop window pierced his stomach.
Tributes have been paid to 38-year-old Ernest Queralt ahead of his funeral tomorrow following the freak accident.
The sportsman, a futsal player with a Catalan team, was fatally injured after accidentally falling against the window of a bookstore and smashing the glass in circumstances that are still being investigated by police. They have ruled out foul play.
The victim was rushed to hospital in the east coast Spanish city of Tarragona from the scene in nearby Reus but died soon after arrival.
News of the horror accident first emerged on Sunday but it was not until later that it became clear he was a well-known footballer in the area.
The incident happened just before 7am on Saturday in a street leading to the old market square in Reus.
A football player has died after a shard of glass from a broken shop window pierced his stomach
Tributes have been paid to 38-year-old Ernest Queralt ahead of his funeral tomorrow following the freak accident
Ernest, better known by his nickname of Nestu, was unconscious when he was rushed to Tarragona’s Joan XXIII Hospital where he died later the same day.
Tecnovit Alforja, the team in Alforja close to Reus he captained and helped get off the ground, said in an online tribute after cancelling games as a mark of respect: “We regret to announce that yesterday Ernest, our ‘Nestu’, left us. “We have no words to describe how we feel today and the void he leaves among us all.
"Founder, player, coach, coordinator, CAPTAIN, but above all, a fan of this crest, this town, and these colours.
“We will continue to instil your values, dedication, commitment, camaraderie, competitiveness in our players, and through them we will keep your memory and legacy alive, which, like you, will be eternal. Always yours, rest in peace, friend. We love you.”
It went on to announce a wake which was due to start this afternoon and continue into tomorrow afternoon before his burial at a church in Alforja.
A dance has been organised after the funeral at a council-run sports pavilion where he played his home games so family, friends and his club can say farewell to him.
The Catalan Football Federation also expressed its sorrow, saying in a statement: “Our sincerest condolences to the family and friends of the Technovit Alforja FS first-team captain and player, who has left us aged just 38.”
A club fan said on social media: “A star of our sport has gone. Fly high captain and carry on taking care of those close to you from Heaven.”
Another said: “An enormous hug wherever you are Ernest. And another one to your family.
“A great guy, a really nice person to talk to and to be with.”
At the start of last month another five-a-side futsal player died in a freak accident.
Goalkeeper Antonio Edson dos Santos collapsed seconds after saving a penalty by stopping it with his chest.
He was filmed on a live online feed falling to the ground as he went to high five an overjoyed teammate.
Fellow players and officials reacted by calling on medics to assist the 34-year-old but he was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at hospital following failed attempts to revive him.
The tragedy occurred during a futsal match at a gym in the municipality of Augusto Correa in the northern Brazilian state of Para.
The goalie who died, better-known to family and friends by his nickname of Pixe, was playing for a team called Sind Motos in an amateur tournament organised to coincide with the commemoration of the week of Brazil’s independence from Portugal more than 200 years ago.
