One more brother went down to the grave: the shocking story of Miguel Ángel Toren - voila! sport

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Argentinos Juniors defender Miguel Ángel Torán experienced another tragedy on Saturday, and unfortunately it has become almost routine.

This time, four masked men on two motorcycles arrived at the home of his brother, José Sixto Torán. One of them called him by his nickname: "Cookie! Cookie!" and when Jose walked out the door, they pierced his body with eight bullets. He died on the spot, another victim of the underworld wars in Rosario - which reached the doorstep of the city's son, Lionel Messi, a few months ago.

There were six brothers in the Toren family. Four were murdered, two survived in the meantime. Miguel Ángel has often said that football saved him from a life of crime and gangs, that thanks to the ball, the field and the uniform he got on the right track and is still alive and breathing. In his case, it's not a battered cliché: his four murdered brothers are conclusive proof.

"Today I have to say goodbye to my older brother," Miguel Ángel, 34, wrote of his brother, who was 42 at the time of his death. He was like that. He took care of me since I was a little boy... You were the person who was happiest in my successes, who was most proud of my family. Rest in peace Cookie, we have all suffered too much. I love you."

In Rosario, 129 people have been murdered since the beginning of 2023. This is a record, even in a city that in recent years has been considered Argentina's crime capital

When he said football saved his life, it wasn't a cliché. Miguel Ángel Turán (Photo by Getty Images, Rodrigo Valle)

The first of the brothers was Walter Toren, who was shot dead in April 2010. Walter apparently got into a fight with a local criminal, one of the latter's friends arrived and shot him in the street. He died at the age of 32.

A decade passed and in May 2020, another brother, Gabriel Francisco, was murdered. Beaten to death, no more and no less. The initial suspicion fell on two family members, motivated by a dispute over the sale of a house. Later, there was talk of beatings he received from members of the security forces, and in the meantime, and finally, there was also a suspicion of a medical problem - with the claim that the blows he suffered in both fights were not strong enough to kill him.

In August 2021, a third brother: Lewis was murdered. He was walking on a sidewalk at 4200 Puerto Argentino Street and was shot by two men. He was rushed to the hospital and underwent surgery, but doctors were unable to save his life. He was also murdered in Rosario's statistics.

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His mother was electrocuted to death when he was two, his father worked around the clock to support the family. Toren (Photo by Getty Images, Jam Media)

The family of Miguel Ángel Torán had gone through a difficult life even before the four murders. The mother was electrocuted to death when the footballer was two years old and his father worked around the hours to support his children. They moved to Rosario not long afterward and lived in a slum, in an atmosphere of crime and evil.

Miguel broke the circle thanks to good ability on the football field. He was accepted into Newells Old Boys' academy, where he played from 2005 to 2008 and was invited to the under-17 and under-20 teams. At the 20 South American Under-2007 Championship, he played with Angel Di Maria, Papu Gomes, Sergio Romero, Eber Banga and others.

From 2008 to 2010, he wore the Paraguayan Cerro Porteño uniform and won the championship with them, and in 2010 signed for Argentinos Juniors. Since then he has been there - a great icon at the club where Diego Maradona started his career. In a few weeks he will become Argentinus' all-time appearance record. This milestone will not be seen by four of his five brothers.

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• Rosario
• Argentina
• murder