Peruvian bullfighter Andres Roca Rey, often dubbed the 'Messi of matadors' for his bold style, was recently gored after becoming entangled with a bull's horns in Arles, France. The 29-year-old matador was lifted off his feet and remained lodged on the bull's horn for a period before handlers intervened.
The incident occurred when a black bull, named Vicioso, rammed Mr. Roca Rey from behind, catapulting him onto its head. Video footage shows the bullfighter's legs flailing in the air as he clung to the horn. A group of approximately ten men rushed to his aid, managing to distract the bull and free Mr. Roca Rey.
Despite the violent encounter, which left him with a bloodied back, Mr. Roca Rey returned to face the bull. This latest incident comes mere months after he was hospitalized in April for a goring in Seville, Spain, where a bull left him with a deep leg gash. He has since returned to bullfighting, continuing his career which began in Spain when he was 13.
Mr. Roca Rey has a history of serious injuries in the ring. In October 2024, he was tossed by a bull and gored, suffering a concussion and a shattered right cheekbone. In 2016, he gained media attention after a video surfaced of him being gored, marking the fourth time he had been injured that year. At that time, he had recently recovered from being knocked unconscious in an earlier event. While his injuries are not always fully detailed, he has been described as being tossed like a rag doll and speared by the bull's uniform.
Bullfighting remains a controversial practice in Spain. Polling from 2025 indicated that approximately 77 percent of Spaniards oppose bullfighting, with over 80 percent of those under 35 expressing disapproval.