During the match, lightning struck the field: 1 player died, and 5 players were injured.

A terrible incident occurred in Peru. During a football match, a lightning strike resulted in the death of one player and injuries to five others.

39-year-old Jose Hugo de la Cruz Meza fell face down to the ground due to a lightning strike while the referee decided to stop the match because of the thunder, and he died at the scene.

40-year-old goalkeeper Juan Chocca Llacta was also directly affected by the lightning and was taken to the hospital by taxi with serious burns on his body. The condition of two young people aged 16 and 19, as well as another injured person named Cristian Cesar Pituy Cahuana, 24, was reported to be "stable."

The incident occurred in Chilca, one of the 28 districts in the Huancayo province of Peru, during a regional tournament match between Juventud Bellavista and Familia Chocca.

The tragedy happened around 16:00 local time when the referee stopped the game due to the intensifying storm, and the players were walking towards the locker room. At least eight players, including Jose, collapsed to the ground. The match, in which Juventud Bellavista was leading 2-0, was suspended in the 22nd minute.

This tragedy has led to calls for increased safety protocols in sports events, especially in areas like Huancayo, which is located at an altitude of 3,250 meters above sea level.

Engineer Lucho Duarte commented on social media, "This terrible incident reminds us of the importance of lightning protection, especially at outdoor events. We must implement safety protocols that include protective systems at sports facilities and immediate cessation of activities during storms."

A similar incident occurred in February in Indonesia, where a 35-year-old football player named Septain Raharja lost his life due to a lightning strike during a friendly match between FLO FC Bandung and FBI Subang.