Salvador Cabanas, a highly rated South American star, was shot in the head during a nightclub altercation, preventing Manchester United from signing him.
Cabanas continued to play in Mexico while preparing for the 2010 World Cup with Paraguay after signing a pre-contract agreement with Manchester United for a £1.3 million transfer from Mexican club Club America in January 2010.
The 2007 South American Player of the Year was the nation’s top scorer during the tournament’s qualifying round, impressing Sir Alex Ferguson in the process.
However, Cabanas’ move to Manchester United and appearance in the World Cup both fell through. Cabanas was shot in the head on January 25, 2010, while inside the toilets of Mexico City’s Bar Bar nightclub by Jose Balderas Garza, a member of the Beltran-Leyva Drug Cartel. Fortunately, the Paraguayan footballer managed to survive the attack.
Manchester United had agreed a deal with Cabanas before he was shot in the head
“I remember everything,” Cabanas told FIFA TV. “He started insulting me and then pulled out a gun. He pointed it at me and said, “I’m JJ, the most wanted drug dealer.” And today is your final day because you are going to die. You’re stealing from us, the Mexicans, and today’s your last day.
“I asked ‘Why? I came here to work because I needed money. He replied, ‘No, you’re making too much money and taking it to Paraguay. We’re in need and working for you. Following that, he shot me.
Cabanas left the hospital after only a month in intensive care, hoping to recover fully before the World Cup. He suffered from short-term memory loss, a weakened left side of the body, and difficulty seeing after the attack, so he was unable to make the squad.
His Manchester United transfer also fell through as a result of the attack. Cabanas, on the other hand, sees the situation in a more positive light, revealing another shocking aspect of what occurred.
“The most important thing is that I recovered fully,” he said. “But the bullet is still inside my head – it can’t be taken out, because it’s too dangerous.”
Cabanas returned to professional football with third-tier Paraguayan club 12 de Octubre in 2012, two years after the attack. He initially retired in January 2014, but returned to football just a few months later, signing with Sao Paulo-based Tanabi.
“It is sad,” Cabanas told Telefuturo in 2019. “I was an idol in Paraguay. Nobody from either the Paraguayan Football Association or my team offered assistance. The regular people remember me, and I greatly respect them, which is what keeps you going.
