He was known for ‘scoring the most spectacular goals’ and was a popular teammate
Tributes have been flooding in for a much-loved and ‘exceptionally gifted’ young footballer who has died. Warrington Town FC have announced the sudden death of 19 year old Vini Desouza.
Born in Brazil, brought up in Portugal, and relocating to Walkden in Salford 10 years ago, he joined the club in 2019 and quickly became an integral part of their youth system. “Known for scoring the most spectacular goals, Vini was a highly respected, cherished member of the club, and his talent earned him a spot training with the first team despite his tender age,” said the club, who play in the National League North, the sixth tier of English football, in a statement.
“He played for the first team last season in the Cheshire Senior Cup against Cheadle Town, and trained regularly with the first team, featuring in numerous pre-season friendlies over the past couple of seasons,” they added.
On Sunday, less than 24 hours after hearing the devastating news of his passing, his Under-21 teammates bravely went ahead with their match away at Macclesfield, securing a 4-1 victory which they dedicated to him, reports the MEN.
Sam Gill, a fellow player, paid tribute, saying: “Vini was a well-loved and greatly appreciated player in our team. He grew into his character as his time at Warrington went on, and all of the lads had so much respect for him.”
He added: “He was an extremely talented footballer with so much ability, had a major impact coming in with us and consequently earning his space for training and playing matches with the first team. Vini is someone who will be missed dearly, both on the pitch and more importantly his character in the changing rooms and outside of football. We will all miss him, and we send our condolences to his family at this difficult time.”
In honour of Vini’s memory, the club has launched a fundraising campaign to help cover funeral costs for his grieving family. A JustGiving page has been set up, along with a collection planned during tonight’s home match against Scarborough Athletic.