Dubai: Former Al Jazira and Al Wasl striker Ricardo Oliveira was forced to stand for a minute’s silence to commemorate his own death ahead of Brazilian side Santos’ trip to Colombia’s Santa Fe in the Copa Libertadores on Thursday.
The stadium announcer was meant to mark the passing of 70-year-old former Santos player Alexandre de Carvalho Kaneko, who died of cancer recently, but instead 36-year-old Santos striker Oliveira, who was standing on the pitch at the time, was memorialised by accident.
The announcer said: “Ladies and gentleman, please, let us stand for a minute’s silence in honour of the late Ricardo Oliveira, who was playing for Santos.”
Oliveira told reporters after the game: “I did not hear exactly what the announcer said. I stood for a minute’s silence with the rest of the players and fans. There is no need to apologise. Nothing happened to me. I think it was a normal human error and certainly not intentional.”
The former Valencia and AC Milan forward played for Al Jazira between 2009 and 2014, winning the UAE league, league cup and two President’s Cups, he then played for Al Wasl briefly in 2014 before rejoining Santos, with whom he had previously played in 2003.
