Former Brighton & Hove Albion defender Ezequiel Schelotto turned firefighter during a Swiss third-tier match after a blaze broke out behind the goal. The 36-year-old rushed to retrieve a hose and sprayed the flames, which had started near a fan banner in front of the car park at FC Paradiso's 1,000-capacity ground.
The fire threatened to spread onto the pitch, but Schelotto, nicknamed 'The Greyhound' by Brighton fans, helped a steward who was trying to stamp out the flames. No fans were standing behind the goal at the time. The cause of the fire remains unclear, but the match resumed after the blaze was extinguished.
Schelotto, who played 28 times in the Premier League for Brighton, also counts Inter Milan, Sporting CP, and Atalanta among his former clubs. He earned a solitary cap for Italy in 2012. After falling out with Brighton manager Graham Potter, he returned to Argentina and later Italy before joining FC Paradiso in 2024.
The incident occurred during a match between Paradiso and Bavois. Schelotto is remembered by Brighton fans for a 2018 clash with Crystal Palace's Wilfried Zaha, in which he made a 'cry baby' gesture after being shoved.
