China footballer dies on eve of 19th birthday after head injury in Spain
BEIJING, China (AFP) — A promising Chinese footballer who suffered a serious head injury while playing in Spain has died a day short of his 19th birthday, his club said Thursday.
Guo Jiaxuan fell into a coma last month after an accident during a training match between a Beijing U-20 team and Spanish side RC Alcobendas in Madrid.
The youth international was declared “brain dead” by local doctors before being flown to a Beijing hospital after his condition deteriorated, where he died on Wednesday evening.
The teenager’s family have accused the Beijing Football Association of withholding information about the incident and failing to communicate with them.
Guo with part of the youth set-up at Beijing Guoan and the top-tier club vowed to “do its utmost to properly handle the aftermath and provide all necessary help and support to Guo Jiaxuan’s family”.
“We’ve lost a child who loves football. May Jiaxuan rest in peace!” the club said in a post on social media.
The specific circumstances that led to Guo’s fatal injury remain unclear.
His family have demanded video footage of the match, details on Guo’s medical treatment before he reached hospital and information about his insurance.
Guo’s brother posted on social media a black and white photo of the young defender with the caption: “He’ll forever be frozen on the last day of his 18th year.”
His family “just want the truth and justice”, the brother wrote earlier this week.
Guo played for the U-19 team of Beijing Guoan and was selected for China’s U-17 side in 2023.
The same year he was also part of the FC Bayern World Squad project run by Germany’s largest club for talented players around the globe.
“The club’s thoughts are with his family and friends,” Bayern Munich said in a statement.
In an online statement, the Beijing FA said it had refrained from “disclosing information” since the incident to “avoid irrelevant personnel interfering with medical work, and taking into account the feelings of family members”.
It added they had now obtained video footage of the match and organised experts to analyse it.
“We have made every effort to coordinate medical resources for treatment and meet the needs of his family as much as possible”, the Beijing FA said.
Hundreds of social media users offered condolences.
“It’s a loss of such a bright future at such a young age,” one user wrote.
“I wish him happy playing in heaven,” another said.
