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Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo lost his family in Venezuela earthquake, proudly identifies as Croatian
🇭🇷 Croatia /Disasters & Emergencies

Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo lost his family in Venezuela earthquake, proudly identifies as Croatian

From Večernji List · () Croatian

Translated from Croatian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo lost his wife and two children in a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that struck Venezuela.
  • Trejo, who plays for Club Sport Marítimo de La Guaira, spent 74 hours searching the rubble for his family after the quake.
  • The footballer proudly identifies as both Argentine and Croatian on his social media, sparking interest in his heritage.

Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo is at the center of a tragic story following devastating earthquakes in Venezuela. Trejo, a defender for Club Sport Marítimo de La Guaira, lost his wife, Yanina Maranelle, and their two young children, Aaron and Ainhou, when their building collapsed in Playa Grande.

Argentine and Croatian

— Lucas TrejoTrejo's Instagram profile description, highlighting his heritage.

The 38-year-old player endured an agonizing 74 hours after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck the La Guaira region. He actively participated in rescue efforts, sifting through the debris in a desperate hope to find his loved ones. Tragically, his search ended with the discovery of their bodies.

Following the heartbreaking news, Trejo's Instagram following surged to nearly 100,000. A detail from his profile has particularly captured the attention of the Croatian public: he proudly lists himself as "Argentinian and Croatian," alongside flags of countries where he has played and a religious message. While his Croatian roots are not officially confirmed, Trejo openly displays this heritage online. Given Argentina's significant Croatian diaspora, the connection is plausible.

Jesus Christ is king

— Lucas TrejoTrejo's Instagram profile description, alongside his national identities.

Trejo, born in Córdoba, Argentina, has had a diverse career spanning three continents. He began in Spain, played in Greece for clubs like Atromitos, and returned to Argentina before finding significant success in Venezuela. He joined Monagas Sport Club in 2016, becoming captain and a key defensive player, leading the team to a historic championship title in the 2017 Torneo Apertura. His commanding presence earned him the nickname "El General." He was playing for Marítimo de La Guaira at the time of the disaster.

El General

— UnknownThe nickname earned by Trejo in Venezuela for his strong play.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Večernji List in Croatian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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