Peru Soccer Lighting - A Peruvian soccer player got the fright of his life after he was hit by a lightning bolt and fell to the ground numb during an important match on Tuesday.
"The lightning broke through his face, pierced the chest and exited through his left calf, without damaging the heart," Thomas Parraga, the director of the Ramiro Priale regional hospital, where the player is admitted, said.
Reports indicate that it was almost half-time on the clock, when a lightning bolt struck down Sports Aguila winger Joao Contreras Fuentes during Tuesday's Copa Peru semi-final match against Fuerza Minera.
The Peru soccer lightning strike took place literally in a flash. The video of the incident shows Contreras suddenly drop down on the pitch and is surrounded by a cloud of smoke.
The 21-year-old, who was initially reported dead by his team, says indeed he was dead as he could not feel parts of his body. After a short while however, Contreras recuperates and is taken to a hospital for medical attention.
"Thank God I'm alive again," he says."Right now I feel like I've been reborn."
Contreras, who suffered a few burns, says he is ready to play soccer again. But doctors have advised that he takes it easy and stays in the hospital for a few days for observation.
Contreras has reportedly been dubbed 'El Rayo' or 'lightning' by his team mates. "Thank God he's Okay, he's getting better, and now we're just thinking about his recovery," Amilcar Lobon, the captain of Sport Aguila said. "As I reiterate, the important thing is that our friend Joao is out of danger."
The Peru soccer lightning incident has made headlines all over the world. The management of Sports Aguila has come under some criticisms for initially reporting that Contreras is dead. The Peruvian Football Federation described reports of the death of Contreras as a "violation of the rules of prudence."
Meanwhile, the Peru soccer lightning incident has been labeled as one of the most unforgettable moments in modern soccer. The match between Sports Aguila and Fuerza Minera was postponed due to the Contreras lightning incident.
