Alfredo Quintana, a Cuban goalkeeper for the Porto handball club and the Portugal national team, died on Friday at the age of 32, after failing to overcome a cardiorespiratory arrest he suffered last Monday, the club reported on its social networks.
The message we never thought to share: our beloved Alfredo Quintana has left today. You will be remembered forever as one of ours. A real dragon. Rest in peace, Eternal Quintana!
🔵⚪#FCPorto #FCPortoSports pic.twitter.com/3bEf1714gO
– FC Porto (@FCPorto) February 26, 2021
“A message we never plan to share: our beloved Alfredo Quintana left today,” Porto wrote on his Twitter profile. “You will be as always remembered as one of us. A true Dragon. ‘Rest in peace, eternal Quintana!”, The message added.
Quintana suffered a stoppage during a training session and has since been treated in the intensive care unit of the São João Hospital in Porto.
The Spanish newspaper How he noted that the goalkeeper was at one of the best moments of his sporting career as he had just shone with Portugal in the World Cup in Egypt. He added 72 games with the Portuguese team.
Last Sunday was his last match, when he acted in his club’s victory in the Portuguese league against Aigües Santes (26-34), in a duel in which Quitana made 15 stops. Wednesday Finally, Porto had a Champions League handball match against Meshkov Brest in Belarus, which was finally postponed, as the whole team was pending the health of its goalkeeper.
The captain of the NCG Banco Ademar, José Mario Carrillo, has been “shocked” by the death of the goalkeeper, and highlighted the “happiness that radiated and transmitted to those around him.”
“I have an indelible memory that I think I will always have with me because, more than a teammate, he was an enormously friendly and very close person who always encouraged everyone even when things didn’t go well,” added the athlete, who he had shared equipment with the Cuban.
Quintana left the island in 2009 and became a Portuguese national in 2014.