Footballer suffers horror accident jumping down massive hole in goal celebration

A footballer suffered a horror accident on live TV after plunging down a hole in the ground when jumping a barrier to celebrate a goal.

Defender Jacy Maranhão, 29, was seen plummeting at speed into the open hatch beside the pitch in celebration when Coritiba scored up against Chapecoense on Sunday (9 August).

Footage, which has since gone viral on social media, showed Maranhão running across the pitch before galloping over the hoarding and accidentally falling into the uncovered tunnel entrance as onlookers panicked and rushed to intervene.

He had just tapped the ball into the back of the net to put his team in front 2-0 when the stunt went wrong. The football star was later able to pull himself out but suffered an ankle injury, it was confirmed.

And in an even more tragic twist, the defender’s goal was later rubbed out by VAR due to a foul in the build-up to the strike. Maranhão failed to return to the field for the second part of the match after half-time due to an enforced substitution as he was seen to by paramedics.

As per BBC Sport, the defender said he got 'carried away' after scoring before he fell into the tunnel. He said: "I twisted my foot there. It's a bit sore, but I'm fine. Centre-backs hardly ever score goals. So when you do score ... I just got carried away."

Running towards the home fans after scoring, Maranhão took the ball and wrapped it under his shirt to celebrate.

But it seems the excitement all got a bit too much for him, as he had clearly misjudged the hurdle. He rapidly fell down straight down the tunnel, which lead under the pitch to the away dressing rooms.

The crowd at the Couto Pereira Stadium could be heard shouting and cheering as other teammates were seen running to the advertising boards and officials ran over to check on the defender, who shortly after reappeared up the steps despite a minor injury.

In the end, Coritiba still defeated Chapecoense 2-1 in their Campeonato Brasileiro Série A match, but the incident involving Maranhão certainly became the most memorable moment of the game.

It is not the first time a player has been injured falling into a tunnel at Coritiba's home stadium. Back in 2014, Joel Tagueu, a former striker for the team, was equally injured after he fell down the same hole.