Thousands paid tribute in Paraguay after 15-year-old Ismael Dominguez was killed during a football match (Telefuturo)
A 15-year-old footballer has been killed after he was kicked in the head by a rival player during a match in Paraguay.
Ismael Dominguez was making his debut for Club Nacional in the Federal Under-15 championship against Boqueron when a fight broke out between both sets of players towards the end of the game.
According to Club Nacional coach, Leonardo Vit, Dominguez was attacked from behind during the confrontation.
‘When Ismael was with me, he received the flying kick,’ Vit said.
‘He had his back to the person who gave it to him, it was a treacherous kick from behind. He fell into my arms.’
Once on the ground, Vit said that the boy, who was unconscious, received ‘two or three more kicks from other people’.
Vit added: ‘Our paramedics, along with those from the Boqueron team, gave him first aid, he was not breathing.’
A video of the fight was obtained by Paraguayan media, however, Vit confirmed that the moment of the attack on Dominguez was not shown on the footage.
Dominguez was rushed to San Pablo Maternal and Child Hospital in Asuncion where he died from his injuries.
Forensic doctor Gustavo Zaracho said that the autopsy revealed that a blow to the back of the teenager’s neck caused a ‘massive and significant haemorrhage’, which led to internal bleeding.
Ismael Dominguez’s father, Isidro, said his son was ‘the best student’ who ‘was in love with football’ (NPY)
The boy’s father, Isidro Dominguez, described his son as model student who dreamt of playing for Paris Saint-Germain in France.
‘Being a footballer, that was his idea, and suddenly this moment in his life came when he found death,’ Isidro Dominguez said.
‘He was the standard-bearer. Every year he was the best student and he was in love with football. How could I not have hope for him?’
Dominguez’s funeral was held in the city of Altos on Tuesday morning, with hundreds of children from the boy’s school holding white balloons as a tribute.
A school shirt and candle was placed at Dominguez’s desk at his school (Radio Nanduti)
A school football shirt and a white candle was lit and placed at Dominguez’s seat in his classroom.
A police investigation has begun and prosecutor Rosa Noguera has summoned several people who were at the match to testify, including a 14-year-old boy.
Noguera said that ‘there are many versions’ of the incident, so the attacker has not yet been identified and no arrests have been made.
The Prosecutor’s Office said that the first versions of the incident indicate that when the fight began ‘the suspect, who was not participating in the match, entered the pitch and attacked the victim.’
Ariel Britez, the coach of Boqueron, claimed the fight started after the referee sent off two players.
‘The conflict broke out, it happened almost in front of the visitors’ bench,’ he said.
‘I tried to control my team and when I turned around another confrontation started.’
A statement from Club Nacional read: ‘We have been struck by an unacceptable tragedy that has taken the life of a promising talent and above all, of a human being loved by all… Ismael’s death occurred as a result of acts of violence on the field of play, an act that we strongly condemn.’
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