Footballer accidentally shot in head by riot police while trying to calm down rioting hooligans

POLICE accidentally shot a footballer in the head by riot police while trying to calm down a crowd of hooligans.

Almagro midfielder Franco Quiroz, 26, was hit by a stray rubber bullet while playing peacemaker as home fans vented their anger at conceding a last minute goal.

The incident took place in the dying moments of a 1-0 defeat to visitors Atletico Parana in the Estadio Tres de Febrero in Argentina's capital Buenos Aires.

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Enzo Noir bagged the last-gasp winner in added time and reports claimed several groups of rival fans started fighting in the stands.

Several dozen riot police officers were stationed and on duty for the fiercely-disputed National B Division match.

And they tried to keep the crowd under control by pointing their guns at them.

But as online footage shows, the hundreds of manic fans were not backing down, and police started firing rubber bullets to get them to back off.

As things begin to escalate and in between the intermittent firing, Franco Quiroz - an unused substitute in the fixture - can be seen standing by the fence which separates the crowd from the pitch.

Quiroz apparently tried to help the officers by gesturing the fans to move away, but in the middle of all the ruckus he was hit in the head by a rogue bullet.

The match ended 1-0 to the visitors and Quiroz was taken to the Carrillo hospital, where doctors attended to his head injury, although reports have since said he is out of danger.

The Almagro midfielder said: "I was 10 centimetres away from losing my career. The rubber bullet was removed, and fortunately it was only superficial. I have a hole in my head but I am out of danger."

Julian Romeo, the president of the losing team Almagro, told local media: "We arranged for 100 officers and only 28 came here. I counted them."

He added that most violence came from fans who most likely did not even have match tickets, and who instead climbed over a fence to gain entry and start fighting.

Juan Manuel Lugones, the head of Aprevide, the ‘Agency for the Prevention of Violence in Sport’, said three people were arrested over the violence.

Felipe de la Riva, the manager of Almagro, launched a scathing attack on the violent fans.

He said: "The fans shook the fence in to try and get the match cancelled. Since I have arrived at this club I have been robbed four times. There are moments in which footballers do not want to play because of the violence."

He added: "I am not sure if there were 100 officers or not, but I am fed up of being a hostage to the fans. In 15 days, I am sure I will be fired for saying this, I know that I will pay for it."