Cristiano Júnior Explained

Cristiano Júnior
Fullname:Cristiano Sebastião de Lima Júnior
Birth Date:5 July 1979
Birth Place:Brasília, Brazil
Death Place:Bangalore, India
Position:Forward
Youthclubs1:Vasco da Gama
Years1:1997–2001
Clubs1:Vasco da Gama
Caps1:11
Goals1:0
Years2:1997
Clubs2:Brasília (loan)
Years3:1998
Clubs3:→ Garça Futebol Clube (loan)
Years4:2001
Clubs4:Olaria
Years5:2001
Years6:2002
Clubs6:Criciúma
Years7:2003
Years8:2003–2004
Clubs8:East Bengal
Caps8:24
Goals8:21
Years9:2004
Clubs9:Dempo
Caps9:4
Goals9:5

Cristiano Sebastião de Lima Júnior (5 June 1979  - 5 December 2004) was a Brazilian footballer who played as a forward for Dempo,[1] before an on-field collision in India in the Federation Cup finals, with the goalkeeper of the opposing team led to his death.

Career

Júnior, who was the highest-paid footballer in India, signed up for Dempo in September 2004. He had only recently moved to Dempo on a transfer from Kolkata's East Bengal where he had formed a potent strike partnership with India's footballer Baichung Bhutia in helping his team win the league title in the 2003-2004 season and reach the knock-out stages of the 2004 AFC Cup.

Death

Júnior collided with Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Subrata Pal, in the 78th minute of the Federation Cup finals. While scoring his second goal after chasing the ball into the box, he collided with the keeper, staggered away and then collapsed. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful. The game continued after Junior was taken off the field. He was dead on arrival at Hosmat Hospital. Hospital officials said that no doctors were requested to be at the ground during the Federation Cup match. "At no time, was the hospital requested to provide doctors, and no agreement or contract for doctors was made."[2] Dempo won the Cup 2-0.According to the autopsy performed in the Bangalore Hospital (where Junior was moved from the stadium), the footballer died because of a heart stroke. The report also added that Júnior was not injured at the moment of the arrival to the health center.[3]

Dempo announced that they would retire Júnior's #10 shirt.[4] It filed a complaint of criminal negligence against Subrata Pal, Hosmat Hospital, and the Karnataka State Football Association, the local organizers. Pal was suspended for 2 months.[5]

Honours

Individual

Golden Boot (15 goals)[6] [7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 7 March 2022 . Goa . I-League 2: Looking back at when Dempo SC dominated Indian Football . 2022-03-07 . footballexpress.in . Football Express India . Shibashis . Das . en . 22 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230722154745/https://footballexpress.in/looking-back-at-when-dempo-sc-dominated-indian-football/ .
  2. https://web.archive.org/web/20041214160631/http://news.indiainfo.com/2004/12/10/1012doctor.html "When Cristiano collapsed, no doctor was around", IndiaInfo.com, 10 Dec 2004
  3. Web site: "El brasileño Cristiano Júnior murió de un ataque cardíaco", As, 10 Dec 2004 . 30 July 2014 . 8 August 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140808035949/http://futbol.as.com/futbol/2004/12/10/mas_futbol/1102633213_850215.html . live .
  4. http://feverpitch.in/featured.php?ftartid=147&featured=The-Last-Goal---Remembering-Cristiano-Junior "The Last Goal - Remembering Cristiano Junior" at Feverpitch, Dec 5, 2012
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20050125231913/http://www.hindu.com/2004/12/28/stories/2004122807772000.htm The Hindu : Sport / Football : Two-month suspension for Subrata Paul
  6. Web site: From the History Book. All India Football Federation . the-aiff.com . 19 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140717033518/https://www.the-aiff.com/news-center-details.htm?id=1965 . 17 July 2014.
  7. Web site: NFL Champions and Goalscorers . Rediff . 16 July 2021 . 3 March 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160303220719/http://www.rediff.com/sports/nflroll.htm . live .