Former defender dies aged 40 after scooter accident in Ireland

Saul was taken to the hospital and remained in a medically induced coma for around three days, but he succumbed to his injuries.

Family and friends organized a campaign to raise money and make it possible to transport the body to Ribeirão Preto, in the interior of São Paulo, the city where the former defender began his football career. The fundraiser, created on the GoFundMe platform, set a goal of 24 thousand euros, approximately R$140 thousand.

Until the publication of this report, around 17 thousand euros, the equivalent of approximately R$99 thousand, had been raised. The amount will be used to cover the costs of repatriation and burial in Brazil.

Born in Ituiutaba, in Minas Gerais, Saul Roberto Muniz Filho moved to Ribeirão Preto in 1995. Years later, he joined the youth teams of Comercial, the club for which he built an important part of his career.

In 2006, he was part of the runner-up squad of the Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior. As a professional, he played for Comercial in the 2007 and 2010 seasons. In his second spell, he entered the field 28 times, scored one goal and participated in the campaign that guaranteed the club's access to Série A2 of the Campeonato Paulista.

Throughout his career, Saul also played for Francana, Jaboticabal, Guariba and Morrinhos, from Goiás. He left the field in 2012 and decided to live in Ireland.

In the European country, he worked as a barber and businessman, becoming a well-known figure among Brazilians who lived in the region. Saul also worked as a volunteer for the NGO You in Africa, an initiative dedicated to combating hunger and supporting the education of children and adolescents in Kenya.

The death of the former defender provoked expressions of grief among family, friends, fans and former teammates. In a statement, Comercial lamented his death and highlighted the player's contribution to the club's history.

"Commercial Futebol Clube deeply regrets the passing of Saul Muniz, a former athlete at the club. A defender, Saul wore the Leão do Norte shirt in the 2007 and 2010 seasons, leaving his contribution to black and white history. In this moment of pain, Comercial sympathizes with family, friends, former professional colleagues and everyone who lived with Saul. His name remains recorded in the memory of the black and white nation."

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