FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — A 15-year-old soccer player has died after suffering severe brain injuries during a post-match brawl with an opposing team at an international youth tournament in Germany over the weekend, officials said Wednesday.
Frankfurt police said in a statement that a postmortem examination will be carried out on the teen in the coming days. A 16-year-old player from a French team remains in detention pending further inquiries.
Police said a scuffle broke out following the final whistle Sunday and then escalated into a brawl between members of the French team and a team from Berlin.
The victim was struck in the head or neck area and collapsed, police said. He was treated by emergency medical personnel at the scene and taken to a hospital.
The exact circumstances of the fight were still under investigation. Police have asked for witnesses who may have video of the brawl to come forward.
German news agency dpa reported that the victim’s organs will be donated.
