Cristiano Sebastião de Lima Júnior (5 June 1979 – 5 December 2004) was a Brazilian
footballer
A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian football, Australian rules football, Gaelic football, rugby ...
who played as a
forward for
Dempo, before an on-field collision in the
Federation Cup finals, with the goalkeeper of his opposing team led to his death.
Career
Júnior, who was the highest-paid footballer in
India
India, officially the Republic of India ( Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the ...
, signed up for Dempo in September 2004. He had only recently moved to Dempo on a transfer from Kolkata's
East Bengal
ur,
, common_name = East Bengal
, status = Province of the Dominion of Pakistan
, p1 = Bengal Presidency
, flag_p1 = Flag of British Bengal.svg
, s1 = Eas ...
where he had formed an elite strike partnership with India's ace footballer
Baichung Bhutia
Bhaichung Bhutia (born 15 December 1976), also spelled as Baichung Bhutia, is an Indian former professional footballer who played as a striker. Bhutia is considered as the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena. He is often n ...
in helping his team win the league title in the 2003-2004 season and reach the knock-out stages of the
2004 AFC Cup
The 2004 AFC Cup was the first edition of the AFC Cup, playing between clubs from nations who are members of the Asian Football Confederation.
Qualification
The 'developing' 14 nations in the Asian Football Confederation were invited to nominat ...
.
Death
Júnior collided with
Mohun Bagan
Mohun Bagan Athletic Club is an Indian professional sports club based in Kolkata, West Bengal. Founded in 1889, its football section is one of the oldest in India and Asia. The club is most notable for its victory over East Yorkshire Regiment ...
goalkeeper
Subrata Pal
Subrata Paul (also Pal; born 24 December 1986) is an Indian professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Indian Super League club ATK Mohun Bagan, on loan from Hyderabad.
Club career
Mohun Bagan
A graduate of the Tata Football Acade ...
, in the 78th minute of the
Federation Cup finals. While scoring his second goal after chasing the ball into the box, he collided with the keeper, staggered away and then collapsed. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. The game continued after Junior was taken off the field. He was
dead on arrival
Dead on Scene
('' 'DOS' '')
Found dead before first responders get on scene and no medical treatment was given.
Dead on arrival (DOA), also dead in the field and brought in dead (BID), are terms which indicate that a patient was found to be ...
at
Hosmat Hospital, hospital officials said that no doctors were requested to be at the ground during the Federation Cup match, ''"At no time, was the hospital requested to provide doctors, and no agreement or contract for doctors was made."'' Dempo won the Cup 2-0.
According to the autopsy performed in the Bangalore Hospital (where Junior was moved from the stadium), the footballer died because of a
heart stroke
A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which may tr ...
. The report also added that Júnior was not injured at the moment of the arrival to the health center.
Dempo announced that they would retire Júnior's #10 shirt. It filed a complaint of criminal negligence against Subrata Pal, Hosmat Hospital, and the
Karnataka State Football Association, the local organizers. Pal was suspended for 2 months.
Honours
Individual
*
2003-04 National Football League (India): Golden Boot (''15 goals'')
References
External links
1979 births
2004 deaths
Footballers from Rio de Janeiro (city)
Brazilian men's footballers
Brazilian expatriate men's footballers
CR Vasco da Gama players
Olaria Atlético Clube players
Criciúma Esporte Clube players
Sampaio Corrêa Futebol Clube players
América Futebol Clube (RN) players
Expatriate men's footballers in India
Dempo SC players
Sport deaths in India
Association football players who died while playing
East Bengal Club players
Cristiano
Men's association football forwards
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