Francisco Garcia, from Malaga, Spain, was diagnosed with COVID-19 but reportedly had no idea he also had leukaemia. The president of Atletico Portada Alta football club confirmed he later died

A footballer has died from coronavirus aged 21 and is suspected to now be Europe's youngest victim of the horror outbreak.

Francisco Garcia was diagnosed with COVID-19 but was also told he had leukaemia.

According to reports he had no idea he had the cancer, which made him vulnerable to the outbreak.

The president of his club Atletico Portada Alta, Malaga, Spain, said he died in hospital.


He described him as a coach, but in other reports it is suggested he had a role in playing too.

Pepe Bueno said: "He was a very good boy and a very good coach. We're still in a state of shock.

"They called me at 7pm on Sunday saying that he was stabilised after they had admitted him on Friday.

"And an hour later of the coronavirus and (cancer)... I do not believe it. It seems impossible to me."

According to reports, he is understood to be the youngest fatal coronavirus victim in Europe.


Malaga is typically a holiday hotspot for Brits every year.

But Spain has been hard hit by the coronavirus outbreak that began in Wuhan, China.

There are more than 8,000 cases with over 300 deaths.

Meanwhile Italy has been rocked by more than 1,800 deaths and over 24,000 cases.

According to a report seen by The Telegraph, the situation is so bad that medics may be preparing to deny intensive care to anyone above the age of 80.


The paper, put together by the civil protection department in the Piedmont, reads: "The criteria for access to intensive therapy in cases of emergency must include age of less than 80 or a score on the Charlson comorbidity Index (which indicates how many other medical conditions the patient has) of less than 5.

"The growth of the current epidemic makes it likely that a point of imbalance between the clinical needs of patients with COVID-19 and the effective availability of intensive resources will be reached.

"Should it become impossible to provide all patients with intensive care services, it will be necessary to apply criteria for access to intensive treatment, which depends on the limited resources available.

"The criteria set out guidelines if the situation becomes of such an exceptional nature as to make the therapeutic choices on the individual case dependent on the availability of resources, forcing (hospitals) to focus on those cases in which the cost/benefit ratio is more favourable for clinical treatment."