A young Chinese footballer with a bright future, Guo Jiaxuan, has passed away following a severe head injury sustained during training in Spain, his club confirmed on Thursday.
Guo fell into a coma in February after an accident during a training match between Beijing’s U-20 men’s team and Spanish club RC Alcobendas in Madrid.
He was initially declared brain dead in a local hospital before being transferred to China for further medical care at Beijing Tiantan Hospital.
The talented defender, who played for the U-19 squad of Beijing Guoan, succumbed to his injuries on Wednesday evening.
The club expressed its sorrow in a heartfelt social media post.
“We’ve lost a child who loves football. May Jiaxuan rest in peace!” the club wrote.
“The club will continue to do its utmost to properly handle the aftermath and provide all necessary help and support to Guo Jiaxuan’s family,” it added.
Guo, a former China U-17 international in 2023 and a participant in FC Bayern’s World Squad project, tragically passed away just one day before his 19th birthday.
His brother shared a black-and-white image of Guo on social media with the caption, “He’ll forever be frozen on the last day of his 18th year.”
In February, he had revealed that Guo’s condition had shown “no improvement” and that the family was “gradually accepting reality.”
The exact details of the accident remain unclear, and the family has accused the Beijing Football Association of withholding crucial information and failing to communicate with them.
They have called for access to match footage, medical records prior to Guo’s hospitalization, and details of his insurance coverage.
On Tuesday, his brother reiterated the family’s plea for answers, stating: “We just want the truth and justice.”
In response, the Beijing Football Association released a statement on Thursday explaining that it had refrained from providing constant updates to “avoid irrelevant personnel interfering with medical work, and taking into account the feelings of family members.”
The association further disclosed that it had now obtained video footage of the match and enlisted experts to review it.
“We have made every effort to coordinate medical resources for treatment and meet the needs of his family as much as possible,” the Beijing FA stated.
