Horror as footballer, 21, dies & six other players injured as massive lightning strike hits pitch during cup

THIS is the horrifying moment a massive lightning bolt struck a football pitch during a cup game killing one player and injuring six more in Brazil.

The victim has been named as Caio Henrique de Lima Goncalves, 21, by Police in Santo Antonio da Platina.

Caio Henrique de Lima Goncalves died after being struck by lightningCEN

Local media reported that he was rushed to hospital after the strike on December 10 but he died soon after.

Chilling video footage recorded moments after the strike shows the pitch littered with stricken players and officials desperately racing to get them to safety and medical treatment.

Overhead thunderclouds sent down torrential rain, and the threat of a second lightning strike seemed possible at any moment.

Goncalves had been playing for his Uniao Jaiirense team against Unidos, in an amateur cup fixture at the Jose Eleuterio da Silva stadium.

Five of the six zapped players are still in a local hospital under observation, while a sixth more seriously injured player was rushed to a regional hospital.

In a statement, Santo Antonio da Platina city hall mourned Goncalves’ death and said that it is “making every effort to ensure that those affected have the best possible care.”

In September two people were killed by a lightning strike on a Mexican beach.

Footage of the drama showed the victims collapsing on the sand as a woman near them began screaming.

The tragedy happened on a beautiful Central Pacific Coast beach called Playa Maruata in the Mexican state of Michoacan.

Goncalves was playing for his Uniao Jaiirense team against UnidosCEN

Six more players were injured in the strikeCEN