Brazil Boy Killed by Falling Goalpost After Dad's Match

An unsecured metal goalpost fell onto an 11-year-old boy in Brazil, causing fatal head injuries after he went to watch his father play football. Bernardo Amorim Calixto Santos, a devoted Atlético Mineiro fan, was at the pitch in São José da Lapa on Saturday (9 May) with his father, Maurício Calixto Gomes, who plays for local amateur side Colorado.

After the match ended, adults began packing away equipment while children, including Bernardo, remained on the field playing. Investigators believe Bernardo may have leaned on or hung from one of two movable goalposts that were reportedly not secured. The metal structure toppled onto him, inflicting catastrophic head injuries.

A child alerted Maurício, shouting: "Bernardo's hurt, he's bleeding over there." Maurício sprinted to his son, finding him unconscious and covered in blood. He carried Bernardo to a car and rushed him to the local emergency department. Despite treatment, the injuries proved too severe, and the boy was pronounced dead approximately one hour later.

Bernardo's love of football had inspired his father to resume playing. Maurício told local media: "I started playing football again because of him. I thought, 'I'll start playing again because Bernardo's growing up – otherwise he could end up going down the wrong path.'"

The boy's uncle, Mauro Calixto Gomes, 45, said: "He won everyone over. He did everything he could to make people smile. We're devastated." Mauro also told local media that others had said similar accidents had occurred at the same pitch with other children, but none had been fatal. "We just hope Bernardo's case is the last, so no more parents have to suffer like this," he added.

The pitch is managed by São José da Lapa City Hall, which stated it "has been monitoring the case since the incident and is currently awaiting the conclusion of expert reports and investigations by the relevant authorities before taking the necessary and appropriate measures."

Bernardo is survived by his parents and a half-sister on his mother's side. The family lives in Ribeirão das Neves, where the boy was laid to rest on Monday (11 May).