Katyuscia Madeira could not believe that her son Paollo Oliveira, a striker for Hoang Anh Gia Lai FC, passed away three days ago.

Oliveira, 27, is one of the three members of HAGL that died in the traffic accident on August 12, a day after the club’s last game of the season.

After the season ended, Oliveira’s plan was to have a final check on his injury before taking a flight back to Portugal with his fiancée Araujo Chaves to visit his mother and brother on Saturday.

But the tragedy happened out of nowhere. The five-seated car carrying him, assistant coach Duong Minh Ninh and doctor Dao Trong Tri was crushed between two trucks in Gia Lai Province. All three died on the spot while their driver was hospitalized with bone fractures.

Chaves could not say a word when she heard the tragic news.

In Portugal, Oliveira’s mother Madeira passed out and was hospitalized.

“Please give me a call my son. Tell me everything is just a lie,” Madeira wrote on her Facebook.

Madeira has been a widow for nearly 20 years. She raised her two sons alone. Three years ago, Madeira’s emotional support – her father, passed away.

“I wish I could have my son in my arms and wake up from this nightmare,” the 50-year-old said.

In 2022, Oliveira decided to leave Portugal to join Vietnamese club Hong Linh Ha Tinh. Madeira was worried at first because Oliveira was introverted, but still encouraged her son to overcome it, like when she left her hometown in Brazil to live and work in Portugal.

Oliveira faced many difficulties at the beginning and received negative comments from Ha Tinh fans. Madeira spent a lot of time responding to comments on social media to protect her son.

At the moment, the younger brother Sergio is with Madeira. To Sergio, Oliveira is not only a brother but also his best friend and second father.

Sergio sees his brother as an example of never giving up. When he was a trainee at the local club Raca Vermelha Imortal in Albufeira, Portugal, Oliveira suffered injuries and did not get to play much, but realized his dream of playing professional football.

“I think you will be happy with dad and grandpa in heaven,” Sergio wrote on his Facebook. “Rest in peace brother. Please kiss dad for me, and don’t forget to comfort mom down here.”

At first, Madeira intended to go to Vietnam to directly bring her son’s body back to Portugal, but later changed her mind, because it took a long time to get a visa and she was not in a good condition.

The family decided to authorize HAGL FC to carry out the procedures to bring Oliveira’s body back to Portugal. All costs will be covered by the club.

Oliveira was born in 1996 with dual Brazilian and Portuguese citizenship. He began playing professionally in Portugal for Raca Vermelha Imortal, then SC Farense in Portugal’s first division, but was loaned out many times.

In 2022, the player was loaned to Ha Tinh and played 23 matches in the V. League, scoring eight goals. This season, Oliveira moved to HAGL, playing 17 games and was the top scorer at the club, with six goals.