Tributes pour in for Quintana ahead of Tokyo Handball Qualification 2020

11 Mar. 2021

Tributes pour in for Quintana ahead of Tokyo Handball Qualification 2020

The death of Portuguese goalkeeper Alfredo Quintana has sent shockwaves through the handball world and especially through the Portugal men’s national team, who will take to the court for the first time without their charismatic shot stopper on Friday.

Quintana would have been selected for a place in the Portuguese side for the Tokyo Handball Qualification 2020 in Montpellier, France, where the ‘Heroes of the Sea’ will face the hosts, Croatia and Tunisia for a maiden Olympic Games berth.

The 32-year-old goalkeeper suffered a cardiac arrest during a training session for his club FC Porto on 22 February, passing away four days later, after spending time in a local hospital. Only one day before the cardiac arrest, he scored twice in Porto’s win against Aguas Santas in the domestic national championship.

With Quintana having been a building block for Paulo Pereira’s Portugal side since 2014, playing 56 games and impressing with his goalkeeping skills, even scoring seven goals, he will be sorely missed by the Portuguese side. 

Tributes have poured in from both teammates at FC Porto and the Portugal men’s national team, but also from former opponents and fellow goalkeepers, who learnt first-hand just how good Quintana was.

Porto fans also did their part and used road furniture and walls to express their sorrow, painting some of them in pink, the colour of Quintana’s goalkeeper shirt, adding his name and his number, 1.

“This really was our toughest defeat. He will not be there with us, physically, but he will join us forever. I feel sorry for not hugging him more. He would have liked us to overcome this difficult moment and, as much it will cost me, I will do so,” said Portugal’s coach Paulo Pereira in a heartfelt Instagram post.

Goalkeeping greats Gonzalo Perez de Vargas, Vincent Gerard and former France national team goalkeeper Thierry Omeyer also expressed their grief for Quintana’s passing, while FC Porto held an highly emotional moment of silence before their EHF Champions League Men game against Elverum.

After the 38:31 win against the Norwegian champions, all of Porto’s players came to the centre of the court and held Quintana’s shirt, dedicating the win to his memory.

“All of us, for Quintana! This is for you, our King” said Portuguese centre back Miguel Martins, in an Instagram post, after Porto’s win against Elverum.

The aim will be the same for the Portugal men’s national team this weekend in Montpellier, as they are chasing their first-ever Olympic Games berth, with Pereira’s side trying to honour Alfredo Quintana’s memory with dazzling displays against France, Tunisia and Croatia.

Portugal will wear black armbands in the memory of Quintana and a moment of silence will be observed before their first game against Tunisia on Friday, 12 March, at 18:30 CET.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Rui Silva (@ruiisilva14)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Gerard Vincent (@gerardvin)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by +FCPorto ? (@maisfcporto)