A 22-year-old bullfighter has died after being violently thrown against the wall of an arena by a bull he was attempting to provoke during the finale of a Portuguese bullfight.
According to reports, Manuel Maria Trindade was making his debut at the Campo Pequeno Bullring in Lisbon, Portugal last week when the tragic event occurred.
Trindade was performing as a “forcado”, a role in which he was responsible for taunting the bull to charge during the “pega de cara” or “face catch”—a dramatic sequence that typically marks the final act of a Portuguese bullfight. In this performance, multiple bullfighters line up in a single file, with each attempting to halt the bull’s charge and subdue it safely.
On Friday, August 22, Trindade’s provocation led the 700kg (nearly 1,600-pound) bull to charge at full speed directly toward him. Video footage shared on social media reportedly shows Trindade desperately trying to control the animal by grasping its horns. The bull then tossed him into the air, resisting the efforts of his fellow bullfighters to intervene.
The incident has shocked the bullfighting community and spectators alike, highlighting the extreme risks faced by performers in the traditional sport.
