Manchester United midfielder Anderson pulled unconscious from burning car

Reuters
Monday 02 August 2010 05:49 EDT
Comments
(Getty Images)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Manchester United midfielder Anderson was dragged out of a burning car but escaped with only minor injuries after an early-morning crash in Portugal, local media reported on Sunday.

Witnesses quoted by the Jornal de Noticias daily said the Brazilian player had lost control of his sports car in the early hours of Saturday on a local road near Braga in northern Portugal. The car hit a wall in a nearby field and caught fire.

"I thought he was dead. My brother dragged him out of the car, and we put out the flames before the entire car burnt down," one of the witnesses told the paper.

The car was a two-seater, but there were two other passengers in it, a Brazilian woman and another man, according to local police.

"The three were given medical discharge at the end of Saturday morning. They only had minor and superficial injuries. The young woman needed the most treatment, but only small things," the paper quoted a spokesperson at the Braga hospital as saying.

According to local police, the trio had been at a nightclub in Braga before the accident.

The paper also cited a source at Gestifute, Anderson's Portugal-based agents, as saying the player will soon return to Manchester to continue his recovery from a knee injury he sustained in February.

It is not yet known whether the player faces police charges for the accident.

The 22-year-old spent two years playing in Portugal for Porto before moving to Manchester United in 2007.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in