By Alfredo Di Cesare
17 Jul 2024, 10:42 AM EDT
At just 20 years old and with a whole professional career ahead of him, Barcelona de Guayaquil goalkeeper Justin Cornejo has died. The club confirmed this on Tuesday through its social networks.
Barcelona had earlier published a medical report clarifying that Cornejo had been admitted to hospital and was still in hospital. However, no details were provided. Later, at the end of the day on Tuesday, the Guayaquil team confirmed the death of its player.
“No words or phrases can take away the pain we feel right now. The memories he leaves behind will be what gives us the strength to get through this. Justin, you will always be in our hearts. Rest in peace, my friend. We love you very much,” they said.
No word or phrase can take away the pain we feel right now.
The memory that he leaves us all will be what gives us the strength to get through this.
Justin you will always be in our hearts 💛💛💛.
Rest in peace my friend 🧤.
We love you… pic.twitter.com/x03hS6H4ZP
— BARCELONA SC (@BarcelonaSC) July 16, 2024
Cause of death
Neither the club nor the players provided details in their farewell messages about the cause of the young goalkeeper’s death. However, Ecuadorian media reported unofficially that it was a domestic accident. Cornejo had fallen in the bathroom of his house and a blow to the head caused his immediate hospitalization.
The information shared by the newspaper Diario Olé from Argentina is more or less along these lines. The newspaper reported that the goalkeeper suffered a “cerebral infarction” that left him in a coma and caused his death hours later.
Amidst mourning, conflict with Conmebol
This Wednesday, less than 24 hours after Cornejo’s death, Barcelona must play a Copa Libertadores match against Bragantino in the round of 32 of the competition, which will have to be played at the Estadio Monumental Banco Pichincha, in Ecuador.
The Ecuadorian club asked Conmebol to reschedule the match, but the South American Football Confederation refused. This has caused unrest, as it is alleged that the Guayaquil players are dismayed and do not feel ready to play due to the impact of the news.
At just 20 years old, he was already standing out in one of the most famous teams in Ecuador, which he joined in 2022 as the third goalkeeper. He was captain and a starter for the U-20 reserve team, but was regularly called up to the first team.
He didn’t make his debut in the first division, but according to the press in Ecuador, it was a matter of days. Apparently in the Cup, where they play a match in two weeks, Cornejo would have had minutes.
He was also called up to the tricolor, but in this case in the U-20 category. He played a friendly match against Paraguay and was part of the team in two others against Uruguay and Brazil.
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