Young bullfighter dies during debut performance after being struck by bull in Lisbon arena
Manuel Maria Trindade, 22, suffered fatal head injuries after being slammed into a wall during his first bullfight at Campo Pequeno Bullring in Portugal
A 22-year-old bullfighter making his debut in Lisbon has died after a 700kg bull charged at him and slammed him into the arena wall in front of thousands of spectators.
Manuel Maria Trindade, performing as a forcado at the Campo Pequeno Bullring on Friday, August 22, was taking part in a traditional Portuguese bullfighting sequence known as the pega de cara or “face catch.”
The role of the forcado is to provoke the bull into charging, after which a line of bullfighters attempts to stop and restrain the animal by hand.
During the show, Trindade confronted the bull, which then rushed at him with full force. Video shared online shows him trying to grab the bull’s horns before being tossed into the air. The animal then drove him against the arena wall, causing devastating head injuries.
Almost 7,000 spectators watched in silence as fellow bullfighters tried to control the enraged animal. Trindade was rushed to hospital and placed in an induced coma, but doctors were unable to save him. He died the following day after suffering a cardiorespiratory arrest.
Reports say Trindade followed in his father’s footsteps by joining an amateur bullfighting troupe, making his debut at the event where his life was cut short.
The future of the bull and the tradition
It is not yet known what happened to the bull involved. Under Portuguese law, unlike in Spain, bulls are not killed at the end of fights.
Bullfighting remains legal in Portugal, Spain, France, the Philippines, and some parts of Latin America. However, it continues to spark fierce debate, with animal rights groups pushing for the practice to be banned.
Earlier in August, 35-year-old Yovanis Marquez died in Colombia during a festival known as corraleja. Footage from the event shows him attempting to leap over a bull before being gored and thrown into the air. He collapsed shortly after and later died from his injuries.
The death of Manuel Maria Trindade adds to growing concerns about the risks faced by participants and the welfare of animals in bullfighting arenas. Supporters defend it as cultural heritage, while critics argue it endangers both human lives and animal welfare.
