A 17-year-old novice bullfighter has been found dead in his bed in Madrid.
Tributes have poured in for Nicolas Cubero, a so-called novillero, who was found lifeless on Sunday morning.
He was training to become a fully-fledged bullfighter (torero) at the Escuela Taurina del Juli, reports El Mundo.
Just a day earlier, the teenager had taken part in training sessions for the Maletilla de Plata competition at the Ganadería Caras Blancas de Carpio, in Arganda del Rey.
An autopsy is pending and, for now, the exact cause of death remains unknown.
According to El Mundo, the young novillero suffered from diabetes and had experienced epileptic seizures in the past, though it is not yet clear whether these conditions played any role in his death.
Both the Escuela Taurina del Juli and the Escuela Taurina El Yiyo issued messages expressing their shock and condolences.
In a statement, El Yiyo’s bullfighting school said it was ‘deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected death of Nicolás Cubero’, adding that everyone connected to the school stood alongside his family, friends and fellow trainees during this difficult time.
The Caras Blancas de Carpio ranch, where Cubero trained just hours before his death, also paid tribute, announcing a symbolic gesture in his memory.
One of the cows he worked with during the session will be renamed ‘Cubera’, ensuring that his name remains part of the ranch’s history.
