Chinese prodigy Guo Jiaxuan has died at the age of 18, passing away just a few hours before what would have been his 19^th birthday. He died due to a severe injury sustained during a training match, his club Beijing Guoan confirmed on Wednesday evening.

Guo was reportedly brain-dead for several weeks before his passing. His club, Beijing Guoan, released an emotional statement, saying, “We have lost a child who loved football.”

The tragic incident occurred on February 6 in Madrid, Spain, during a training match against RC Alcobendas. Reports indicate that a knee to his head caused a brain hemorrhage, leading him to lose consciousness.

Guo was part of the Beijing Guoan U-19 team and was selected for China’s U-17 squad in 2023.

His family has accused the Beijing Football Association of failing to provide sufficient information and communication. They have demanded video footage of the match and recordings of Guo’s medical treatment before he was taken to the hospital.

In 2023, Guo was part of the Bayern World Squad, a program run by the Bundesliga giants to develop young talents from different parts of the world.

Bayern Munich mourned his passing in a club statement, which read: “FC Bayern mourns the loss of its former World Squad player Guo Jiaxuan, who passed away in his native China at the age of 18. He succumbed to a severe head injury following a tragic accident during a training match in Spain on February 6. The club’s thoughts are with his family and friends.”