A 22-year-old Portuguese man died following injuries sustained during his first bullfight in Lisbon on Friday. Manuel Maria Trindade was performing at the Campo Pequeno bullring before a crowd of 7,000 when he was fatally gored.
According to The New York Post, Trindade ran toward the bull at the start of the event, prompting the animal to charge. Video footage shows the bull slamming into him, lifting him with its horns, and carrying him several feet. Local reports indicate that Trindade suffered severe head trauma and went into cardiorespiratory arrest. He died in the hospital the following day.
Portuguese bullfighting is distinct from the Spanish tradition. Travel writer Rick Steves has described it as a more physically punishing spectacle for the human participants. One of the most dramatic elements involves a team known as the forcados, a group of eight men who confront the bull without weapons. The lead forcado provokes the bull before attempting to grab its head, after which the rest of the team piles on to bring the animal to a halt. The final member holds onto the bull’s tail, dragged behind in what Steves compares to “water-skiing.”
Unlike in Spain, the bull is not killed in front of the audience in Portugal. However, some bulls are euthanized afterward, while others survive and may be used in future events. Critics argue the Portuguese version is even more cruel than its Spanish counterpart because it humiliates the animal rather than honoring it.
Animal rights organizations and some left-wing political parties in Portugal continue to push for the abolition of bullfighting, citing its inherent risks and ethical concerns.