Tragic news has shaken South American football in recent hours. Justin Cornejothe goalkeeper of the Barcelona from Guayaquil Ecuadorian, died at the age of 20 due to a strong blow to the head.
Although the club has not wanted to officially explain the causes that led to the death of its player, several Ecuadorian media outlets have pointed out the reason for the tragic outcome. Apparently, the goalkeeper was at home bathing in his bathtub when he slipped, fell and suffered a strong blow to the head.
This impact led to “cerebral death”, the diagnosis given by the hospital where he was admitted following the domestic accident and where he ended up dying a few hours later.
No word or phrase can take away the pain we feel right now.
The memory that he leaves us all will be what gives us the strength to get through this.
Justin you will always be in our hearts 💛💛💛.
Rest in peace my friend 🧤.
We love you… pic.twitter.com/x03hS6H4ZP
— BARCELONA S.C. (@BarcelonaSC) July 16, 2024
The news has shocked Ecuadorian football, which is in mourning over the death of a player from one of the country’s most important teams.
He Barcelona from Guayaquil confirmed the death of his player and issued a heartfelt statement on his social networks to say goodbye: “No word or phrase can take away the pain we feel at this moment. The memory he leaves us all will be what gives us the strength to get through this. Justin, you will always be in our hearts. Rest in peace, friend. We love you very much.”
The club accompanied these lines with a montage consisting of two images and the player’s signature, as well as the slogan “Fly high, Justin Cornejo.” Fans immediately reacted and mourned the death of the footballer.
A budding career
The sporting career of Justin Cornejo He was just beginning to make his first steps as a professional. At 20 years old, he still had many years of football ahead of him. His role at Barcelona was as the team’s third goalkeeper, so he had had few opportunities.
Cornejo appeared on the team’s list to play in the upcoming Copa Libertadores, and was also going to be part of the squad for the Barcelona in the South American Cup.
Barcelona had on its agenda to play precisely in the early hours of this Wednesday a match of this Copa Sudamericana once morest the Bragantino. The Ecuadorian club repeatedly requested that the match be postponed due to the recent death of its player, but the proposal was denied.
This raised many reactions on social media from the team’s fans, as they did not understand Conmebol’s lack of understanding for refusing to postpone the match for a justified reason such as the death of a footballer.
“Red Bull Bragantino regrets the death of Sporting Club Barcelona player Justin Cornejo, wishing strength to the athlete’s family and friends. The club also expresses its solidarity with the players, coaching staff and management of the Ecuadorian national team in this time of mourning and sadness,” wrote Bragantino.
