Alejandro Ruidíaz

The all-too short life of Alejandro Ruidíaz started with great promise, but ended in tragedy. In his early teens Ruidíaz began his football career with Independiente, and was only 15-years-old when he represented Argentina at the 1985 FIFA U-16 World Championship in China. He made his first team début for Independiente when he was 17, followed by playing for Argentina at the Seoul Olympics one year later. He continued to represent the national team, playing at the 1989 FIFA World Youth Championship in Saudi Arabia. That same year he spent a season on loan to the Japanese club Toshiba S.C. before returning to Independiente in 1990.

Later that year Ruidíaz was involved in a car accident that left him in hospital for almost three weeks. Told he would never play football again, he eventually made a return to the game just two months later. Throughout 1991, however, Ruidíaz suffered a reoccurring knee injury that kept him out for several months. He was eventually released by Independiente before trying out for River Plate in September 1992. During his routine medical with the club he was diagnosed with a heart problem, which forced him to call time on his football career. In March 2006 Ruidíaz died after suffering a heart attack. He was only 36-years-old.