Shaken By Tragedy: The Heartbreak of Venezuelan Football In The Wake of Disaster | OneFootball

While the majority of the world was watching the World Cup, Venezuela was struck by two devastating earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude.

The quakes caused several deaths and multiple injuries, leaving lasting damage that will take the country years to recover from.

World Football Index – DEC Venezuela Earthquake Appeal

They tore families apart and also claimed the lives of some of Venezuela’s most promising young footballing talents in what was a truly tragic event.

Venezuela has lost two of its brightest upcoming stars. Yimvert Berroterán was a forward who represented Venezuela as recently as June 2026 with the under-20 national team, as they took part in the Maurice Revello Tournament. Berroterán had been part of the Venezuela setup since 2024 and, earlier this year, made his senior debut for Universidad Central. At just 18 years old, he was one of the victims of the earthquake.

Razan Sijaa, who played for Caracas Fútbol Club, 14-year-old Víctor Palacios of Club Sport San Augustín’s academy and 17-year-old prospect Ricardo Veloz were also killed by the quakes.

Argentinian Lucas Trejo had to return to Venezuela to discover that his wife and two children had tragically lost their lives in the earthquake. Trejo had played for several first and second division clubs across South America before signing for Marítimo de La Guaira earlier this year.

The structural damage across the country is immense. But for the beachfront state of La Guaira, home to Club Sport Marítimo de La Guaira, it has become the emotional epicentre of the tragedy for the footballing community, as rescue teams have sifted through the remains of buildings along the coastline. More stories of loss continue to emerge from beneath the rubble, including from those connected to the club.

Alongside Lucas Trejo, former Marítimo de La Guaira defender Hector Bello is mourning a loss that has deeply moved the nation. While Bello survived, his wife, Andrea Bello, tragically lost her life beneath the rubble following the collapse of their home.

In her final moments, Andrea performed an extraordinary act of bravery, using her body as a shield to protect the couple’s infant daughter, Alana. Rescue teams successfully pulled the little girl from the rubble, but Andrea did not survive. It was the ultimate sacrifice to save her daughter, and her bravery will not be forgotten.

In a tribute to his wife, Bello said that the heartbreaking reality he is facing is not his alone. Across the region, countless families have experienced similar heartbreak, with mothers and fathers making unimaginable sacrifices to protect their children until their very last breath.

The death toll from the disaster has surpassed 5,000, and there are still tens of thousands of people affected in other ways, and many still missing. The football world has slowly begun to look beyond the white lines of the pitch and offer its support.

During the World Cup, a wave of solidarity rippled across international stadiums, with minutes of silence observed around the world.

Symbolic gestures on the pitch can only do so much for the country’s sporting infrastructure, much of which has been destroyed. It took years to build but only seconds to destroy, especially for the survivors who have lost everything from their homes to their immediate families.

After the initial push for fundraising directly following the earthquakes, it is important that the support continues for those who will need assistance for a long time to come.

South American football has always been a major part of World Football Index’s coverage. We once hosted the only English-language podcast focused solely on football in the region, and have covered numerous CONMEBOL matches on the ground, including Libertadores and Sudamericana finals.

Venezuela has often been central to that coverage, and the country is now in need of urgent support in the aftermath of major earthquakes, which have worsened an already difficult economic situation.