Emanuel Ortega dead: 21-year-old footballer in Argentina's fifth tier dead after suffering horrific head injury after collision with concrete wall

The San Martin de Burzaco player hit a wall on the side of the pitch

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A 21-year-old football player has died in Argentina after colliding with a concrete wall that surrounded the pitch.

According to a report by Argentinian news agency Clarin, Emanuel Ortega was declared dead in the early hours of Thursday morning, after fracturing his skull in a match two weeks ago.

Ortega, who played for San Martin de Burzaco in Argentina's fifth tier, went shoulder-to-shoulder with a player from Juventud Unida but crashed head first into a concrete wall just a meter from the touchline.

Ortega had emergency surgery on a double skull fracture last week, but the news has been confirmed by staff where he was being held.

Video of the harrowing incident exists, but we have chosen not to include it.

On the day of the incident, San Martin manager Cristian Ferlauto said it was "crazy" and "a disgrace" to have a wall so close to the pitch.

"The wall is just a metre from the line. It's crazy, there's no protection," he said. "The security measures are taken thinking about the fans, and the fence is so high so that they can't throw stones, but something are more important.

"It's a disgrace."

Ferlauto also absolved the opponent of blame, saying he had "no intent" to injure Ortega.