A 15-year-old footballer was shot dead “by mistake” after playing in a friendly match.
Former São Paulo youth player Micael Leandro da Silva was killed after a Taça das Grotas amateur football tournament game.
According to police, he was not the intended target and was mistakenly shot in Maceió, Brazil, on Saturday (1 August).
READ MORE: Nail technician ‘stabs boyfriend to death’ after posting chilling messages online
He was taken to hospital but died from his injuries. Several other people were also hit by gunfire during the attack.
Investigators believe the shooting was carried out by members of rival drug trafficking gangs.
Police stressed there is no evidence the teenager had any involvement in criminal activity.
Micael was the youngest of five children and lived in Maceió, as reported by Need To Know.
His father, painter Marcos Antônio Leandro, told local media: “My family has been torn apart by two criminals who came and shot my son in the back.
“The match had just finished and he was getting changed, so he had no chance to run. I’m devastated. His siblings haven’t stopped crying.”
Micael had played in São Paulo FC’s youth academy, was training with Centro Sportivo Alagoano (CSA) and was due to report to Retrô FC Brasil in Camaragibe.
He joined São Paulo in the second half of 2025 and remained there until April this year.
He represented the club’s Under-14 and Under-15 teams at the Cotia Youth Academy and helped them win the 2026 Copa Fictor Under-15.
His father said: “From a very young age, he stood out in football. It was all he lived and breathed. He’d already won futsal and football titles with CSA.
“He was excited about getting back on the pitch and couldn’t wait for the days to pass so he could travel to Recife and join Retrô.”
Football was in the family’s blood.
Micael’s father, Marcos had been an amateur player, while Micael’s cousin, Júlio “Peu” dos Santos Ângelo, became a CSA club legend and won the Club World Cup with Flamengo.
Marcos said he had always tried to support his son’s dreams despite the family’s financial difficulties.
He said: “I brought all my children up with humility, showing them how to be good people. It’s not easy to lose a son who had so many dreams.”
Witnesses who saw the shooting are being interviewed, while officers are gathering statements that could assist the inquiry.
Investigators are also analysing CCTV footage in an effort to identify those responsible. No arrests have been made.
READ MORE: Pilot, 39, caught at airport with meth and 57lb of ecstasy in suitcase
