Popular matador Andrés Roca Rey, who has been dubbed the "Messi of matadors," suffered injuries during a show in Spain on Tuesday.
TMZ reports 26-year-old Roca Rey was performing at the Santiago de Santander Fair in the ring on July 25 with a 1,100-pound bull, which charged at him in a moment that caught him off guard.
In a video of the incident, the bull hit Roca Rey's thigh and pushed him up into the side of the stadium. At one point, it appeared as though the bull stuck its horns into the matador. Other matadors jumped in to help handle the situation and Cayetano Rivera Ordoñez was able to distract the bull long enough to allow Roca Rey to be taken to safety.
Warning: the below video contains footage that some readers might find disturbing.
Miraculously, Roca Rey only suffered non-life-threatening wounds in the incident. He received treatment at a nearby hospital for wounds on his knee and bruises on his neck, face, and legs. He is considered one of the best bullfighters in the world, but that hasn't stopped him from being on the receiving end of numerous injuries throughout his career.
“He is like the Messi or Ronaldo of the bullfighting world. No one has such acclaim as him or can fill bullrings wherever he fights,” said bullfighting critic Antonio Lorca, per the Telegraph. Roca Rey was gored in each of his first five fights, but he's remained committed to the world of bullfighting despite his early failures.
The pastime was under serious threat in Spain because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it's since been rising in popularity again despite animal rights movements calling for its end. In 2021, there were 824 bullfights in the country, while last year there were 1,546.
