Chinese youth footballer dies after head injury

BEIJING: After suffering a serious head injury during training in Spain, a promising Chinese youth footballer has died, local media said Thursday.

During a training match between Beijing men's U-20 team and Spanish side RC Alcobendas in Madrid, Guo Jiaxuan fell into a coma last month after an accident.

He was declared "brain dead" by a local hospital before being transferred to China for further care.

But according to multiple domestic media reports, Guo passed away on Wednesday evening at Beijing Tiantan Hospital after his condition deteriorated.

Guo, who had played for the U-19 team of top-tier Beijing Guoan and was selected for China´s U-17 team in 2023, died a day short of his nineteenth birthday.

He was also previously included in the FC Bayern World Squad, an annual project run by Germany's largest club to unearth global talent.

On social media, Guo's brother posted 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".

Last month, he wrote that Guo's condition showed "no improvement" and the family was "gradually accepting reality".

The specific circumstances that led to Guo's 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.

On Tuesday, Guo's brother wrote on social media that the family "just want the truth and justice".

In a statement on February 13, the Beijing Football Association said they were "deeply saddened" by the incident and would "make every effort to carry out follow-up work".