Footballer Hospitalised After Vicious Car Key Attack
A professional footballer in Argentina was horrifically stabbed with a car key during a violent brawl that erupted at a girls' youth football match. Jonathan Jose Smith, a 35-year-old defensive midfielder, was left with the key embedded in his forehead after attempting to break up the fight.
Chaos Erupts at Amateur Girls' Game
The incident occurred at the GEVE sports club in Berazategui, located in the Greater Buenos Aires area. Smith had been watching his 16-year-old daughter play in an under-16 amateur game when a dispute spiralled out of control. His wife, Romina, witnessed the altercation, stating, 'When I saw my daughter getting into a fight with another girl, I went to break it up... By the time I got there, everyone was fighting. Parents from both clubs had got involved.'
Smith intervened to defend a friend who was being attacked. Just moments after attempting to diffuse the conflict, he was stabbed with a car key, which became lodged in his forehead. Shockingly, the 35-year-old remained fully conscious throughout the ordeal. His daughter was also attacked in the melee.
Arrest and Aftermath of the Shocking Assault
Both Smith and his daughter were taken to a local hospital. He was later transferred to a high-complexity facility in Florencio Varela, where surgeons successfully operated to remove the key. 'They operated on him and he's okay,' his wife confirmed. 'After 12 hours with the key in his head, there was no other choice.'
Police arrested Gastón Omar Álvarez, 40, at the sports centre. Álvarez, who had been watching his own children play, was found with facial injuries and in possession of part of the key believed to have been used in the attack. A witness reported that Álvarez repeatedly insisted on recovering the key to his Chevrolet Zafira. A court has ordered that Álvarez be remanded in custody while he is investigated for attempted homicide. Sources indicate this is not the first time he has been involved in violent episodes.
Smith, who works as a rideshare driver, has had a long career in Argentine lower-division football, having played for clubs including Lamadrid, Berazategui, Ituzaingó, and Victoriano Arenas.
