Uruguayan football has suffered a great loss as Walter Ferreira, a member of the Uruguayan national football team’s medical team passed away on Sunday afternoon. He was the kinesiologist of the team and was fighting with cancer for a long time.
Reportedly, he was admitted to the Spanish Association Hospital in a serious condition for several days as his health had deteriorated owing to complications. Ferreira had earned the nickname of the “Holy Hand” as he was prodigious in the treatment of injuries. He was instrumental in the healing of players like Luis Suarez, Daniel Fonseca, Ruben Sosa, Paolo Montero.
The kinesiologist worked with the Uruguayan National team and also Uruguayan team Club Nacional de Football. However, players from clubs around Uruguay and also from various European clubs used to visit him for treatment. Sometimes, the 64-year-old also visited Europe when called upon by the clubs or players.
Ferreira had a miraculous career and one of his recent achievements include the recovery of Luis Suarez. The Uruguayan striker had undergone a knee surgery four weeks before the commencement of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Ferreira’s job was to get him fit for the national team and the doctor suspended his own cancer treatment in order to facilitate the striker’s recovery.
He was unsure how long Suarez would last on the field but the striker eventually scored a double against England in a thrilling encounter that saw the Three Lions crash out of the World Cup. The Barcelona-striker thanked Ferreira after the match and said, "There are people who know how crucial it was for me to have their support. If it wasn't for him (Ferreira) I would not have been here today.
"I cried a lot with him, because it was such a hard time, and complicated because of what he was living through as well, he made a sacrifice to remain with me the whole time."
Ferreira acknowledged the striker’s comments and said, "The truth is that I am grateful, I am grateful that the coaching staff had the confidence to send Luis to work with me without any project, I could not go to the resort and he came to work in my house, that I appreciate so much.”
His wake would be held for 8-13 hours on the 4th of January, 2016 in the Parque Martinelli de Carrasco, a private cemetery in Uruguay.
