A FOOTBALLER who spent several months with Spanish side Sporting de Gijon before moving on to Tenerife’s reserve team has been killed during a street fight in Colombia.
Denilson Mena, 22, was named overnight as the victim shot dead outside a nightclub in Medellin.
Friends rushed him to hospital from the scene along with an injured woman but he was pronounced dead shortly after arrival.
Local reports said the incident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning during a violent row involving several people which had started inside the unnamed nightspot and continued outside on the street.
A 9mm firearm cartridge was recovered by police. A gunshot is said to have been heard as naturalised Spaniard Mena fell to the ground, and detectives have opened a formal homicide probe.
The slain footballer made 19 appearances for Marino de Luanco, who play in the fourth-tier of the Spanish pyramid, in the 2023-24 season.
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He had previously joined the youth team of second-tier Sporting de Gijon in 2022 after a short trial, training with the first team and featuring in several friendlies.
The centre-back moved onto CD Tenerife last season, forming part of the C team squad and the main reserve side.
He was without a club when he died but was hoping to restart his career in Europe in the near future and had travelled to his homeland to see family and friends while he resolved his future.
Inter Futbol Colombia, which helps mould and represent Colombian footballers, said in an Instagram post in March 2022 after he signed for Sporting de Gijon: “All the news about Denilson Mena fills us with so much excitement.
“Thanks to our efforts and through the renowned Spanish agent Gelu Rodríguez, a few weeks ago we managed to secure his first professional contract with Sporting de Gijon in Spain.
“Of course, we at Inter Futbol have supported him throughout this journey. We are certain that with his character both on and off the pitch, his talent, dedication and hard work, he will go on to great things.”
Last November a teenage footballer in Brazil was killed by a bullet thought to have been fired accidentally by his younger brother as he cleaned a gun.
Wanderson Brandao de Sousa, 18, died instantly at the family home in the town of Aragoiania on November 10.
Tributes were afterwards paid to Wanderson, who played as a left-back for Aragoiania, with their sporting director Silvan Rodrigues Castro temporarily suspending all club activities.