In a scene rarely seen on football pitches, a former player in both the Italian and English top flights pulled off a remarkable feat that saved his team from a potential disaster, capturing the attention of fans and the media alike.
The incident occurred during a match in the Swiss third division, where former Inter Milan and Brighton player Ezequiel Schelotto stepped in to put out a fire that had broken out on the sidelines.
The fire broke out behind one of the goals during the match between Pafoa and Paradiso, which the latter won 2-1 last Saturday.
Paradiso captain Schilotto, 36, ran with a hose he had fetched from the sidelines and extinguished the fire himself.
The cause of the fire remains unclear, but the British newspaper the Daily Mail reported on footage circulating on Instagram showing the fire next to a supporters’ banner and the car park at the Campo Bian Scairolo stadium, which has a capacity of 1,000 spectators.
The Argentine-born Chilotto spent most of his career in Italy with Cesena, Atalanta, Inter Milan and Chievo, before moving to Sporting Lisbon and then Brighton for £2.5 million in 2017.
He made 28 Premier League appearances for Brighton between 2017 and 2020, before going out on loan and returning for his final season under Graham Potter.
Schiotto’s time in the Premier League was marked by disagreements with Potter and a dramatic incident involving Wilfried Zaha during the 2020 derby, where he was subjected to physical contact and taunts but responded by making a ‘crying baby’ gesture towards Zaha.
Schiolotto went on to play for Argentine clubs such as Racing Club, Aldosivi and Deportivo Morón before returning to Italy with Barletta in the second tier in 2023, then moving to Paradiso the following year.