Elson_Becerra
Elson Becerra
Colombian footballer (1978-2006)
Elson Evelio Becerra Vaca (26 April 1978 – 8 January 2006) was a Colombian footballer.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Elson Evelio Becerra Vaca | ||
| Date of birth | (1978-04-26)26 April 1978 | ||
| Place of birth | Cartagena de Indias, Colombia | ||
| Date of death | 8 January 2006(2006-01-08) (aged 27) | ||
| Place of death | Cartagena de Indias, Colombia | ||
| Height | 1.68 m (5 ft 6 in)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | Winger, deep-lying striker | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1995–2001 | Deportes Tolima | (64) | |
| 2001–2003 | Atletico Junior | ||
| 2003 | América de Cali | ||
| 2003–2006 | Al Jazira | ||
| 2004–2005 | → Emirates (loan) | ||
| International career | |||
| 2000–2003 | Colombia | 14 | (1) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Born in Cartagena, Becerra began playing football with Deportes Tolima's youth academy. He joined the senior squad at age 17, helping the club gain promotion to the Colombian second division. He scored 64 goals for Tolima.[2]
On club level the striker had played for Al Jazira in the United Arab Emirates since 2003. He played for Emirates Club during the 2005 season.[3] He previously played for Deportes Tolima and Atlético Junior.
A national team player, Becerra won the 2001 Copa America and participated in the 2003 Confederations Cup, where he became noted for trying to save the life of the collapsed Marc-Vivien Foé.[2] He also featured in Colombia's unsuccessful qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
Becerra was shot in a night club in his birth town Cartagena together with his friend Alexander Ríos, apparently after they had a fight with a group of men a couple of days earlier.[4][5]
- "Elson Becerra". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 15 February 2022.
- "El último adiós a Elson Becerra" [The last farewell to Elson Becerra] (in Spanish). El Pais. 10 January 2006.
- Abbasher, Yasir (1 January 2006). "Retrospective 05, Perspective 06". Gulfnews.com.
- "Colombian national soccer team player shot dead". People's Daily Online. Xinhua News Agency. 10 January 2006. Retrieved 26 January 2007.
- "Colombian star Becerra shot dead". BBC News. 10 January 2006. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- Elson Becerra at National-Football-Teams.com
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