Freddy Rincon, Former Colombia captain has passed away after sustaining multiple head injuries in a car crash on Monday, April 11, 2022.
CCTV footage showed that Freddy Rincon was driving late at night when a bus collided with the car the ex-footballer was driving. The collision wrecked Rincon’s car which confirmed the extent of the car crash.
Colombian former player ⚽Freddy Rincon was inside the SUV. Red light ignored. Some people say he was in the passenger seat.pic.twitter.com/f6zPWVZ2lA
— Trivium (@triviumcolombia) April 11, 2022
The incident took place in the city of Cali, Colombia and the 55-year-old ex-footballer did not die on the spot despite sustaining a “traumatic brain injury”.
Freddy Rincon was rushed to the Imbanaco Clinic in Cali after the incident where he was being treated until it was announced earlier on Thursday, April 14 that he had died.
“Despite all the efforts of our teams, Freddy Eusebio Rincón Valencia has passed away,” said Laureano Quintero, the medical director of the Imbanaco Clinic in Cali announced.
Freddy Rincon’s football career
Freddy Rincon played for Colombia’s national team between 1990 and 2021 majorly as a midfielder. He made around 84 appearances for the country in which he scored 17 goals.
Though he did not win a major title for Colombia’s national team, he was part of the team that ended Colombia’s 28-year wait to play at the World Cup when they qualified for the 1990 edition of the competition.
He made his mark in the 1990 edition of the World Cup by scoring a very crucial goal in Columbia’s 1-1 draw with West Germany, the eventual winner of the edition of the competition.
Freddie Rincon's 93rd minute goal v West Germany at the San Siro in Italia 90.
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) April 14, 2022
RIP👑pic.twitter.com/mT725GJPL2
Freddy Rincon played at the FIFA World Cup in 1990, 1994, and 1998. He made a total number of 10 appearances in the tournament for his country which is the joint highest appearances in the history of Columbia football.
A statement from the Colombian Football Federation (FCF), read: “We will miss him and remember him with great affection, appreciation, respect, and admiration.
“We send strength, support, and our condolences to his family, hoping they can bear this sad and painful loss.”
Also, the world football governing body, FIFA, sent its “sincere condolences” to Rincon’s “loved ones, former team-mates and fans from the clubs he played for, and of the Colombia national team”.
Before the late footballer retired from professional football in 2004 and venture into coaching, Freddy Rincon played for Palmeiras, Napoli, Real Madrid, Corinthians, and Santos.
Rincon was one of the players that led Brazilian club Corinthians to win the first edition of the FIFA Club World Cup in 2000. He also won Brazilian league cups with Corinthians (1998 and 1999) and with Palmeiras in 1994.
After it was announced that Freddy Rincon had passed away, Corinthians recalled how the Colombian late footballer captained them to their Fifa Club World Championship success in 2000.
“It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to a great idol,” the club tweeted. “Eternally in our hearts.”
What we know about the private life of Freddy Rincon
Freddy Rincon survived a car crash in 2013 despite reportedly sustaining multiple injuries. Nine years after, he was involved in another car crash that ended his life.
In 2007, he was in the news for allegedly involving himself in money laundering and collaborating with a cocaine kingpin Pablo Rayo Montaño.
The alleged crimes ended him in Police custody in Panama before he returned to his home country, Colombia.
Freddy Rincon who was private with his private life was said to be in a long-term relationship with one Caridad Murillo. At the time of publishing this report, we could not confirm whether the union had produced any child before the untimely death of Freddy Rincon.
However, Rincon was a father to two children (sons) named Freddy Steven and Sebastien Rincon.
Like his late father, Freddy is a footballer. The 28-year-old Colombian footballer is currently playing for an Argentinian club Barracas.
