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A tragic incident has shaken the football community as 16-year-old goalkeeper Edson Lopes passed away after saving a penalty during a local match.
Lopes collapsed immediately after stopping the spot-kick with his chest and succumbed to his injuries despite efforts to save him. The young player was rushed from Maués, a remote area in the Amazon rainforest, to a hospital.
However, the journey, reportedly taking 11 hours, proved too long, and Lopes tragically passed away upon arrival on January 5. Known for his love of football and active lifestyle, Lopes had no history of heart disease, leaving his family and community in shock.
His brother, Eliomar, expressed heartfelt grief on social media as reported by The SUN.
Today, you touched all of Brazil. You were a dedicated player and a joyful child. My brother, you left us while doing what you loved most—playing football.
In a poignant tribute, Lopes' family wore jerseys of his favourite team, Grêmio, during his funeral as they carried his coffin.
Messages of support flooded in from the local community and beyond. One mourner wrote:
May God comfort the hearts of your family and friends. He was loved by all.
The sad story of Lopes' heroic final moment has left an indelible mark on those who knew him and resonated with people across Brazil.
What might cause his death
Dr. Cotta Júnior told newspaper Folha Vitoria that Gama's death could have been the result of commotio cordis—a rare and potentially fatal condition that happens when a blunt trauma to the chest directly over the heart disrupts the organ's normal rhythm.