A haunting moment in the world of bullfighting was captured on film eight years ago, as renowned Spanish matador Iván Fandiño met a tragic end in the arena.
The 36-year-old veteran, hailing from the Basque region, had been participating in a bullfighting event in southwestern France when a fatal misstep sealed his fate. While maneuvering his cape, Fandiño tripped—an error that left him vulnerable. The bull, seizing the opportunity, charged. In a matter of seconds, its horn pun.ctured multiple vital organs in his torso, including his lungs.
Despite being rushed to the hospital, Fandiño succumbed to his injuries. Witnesses reported his final words as he was being carried away: “Hurry up, I’m dy.ing.”
Known for taking on some of the most dangerous bulls that others avoided, Fandiño had already performed once earlier that day. During this fatal round, his feet became entangled in his cape during a crucial moment.
Although he initially succeeded in getting the bull to pass through the cloth, a second attempt went awry. Footage reveals how the matador was unable to untangle himself in time, allowing the bull to strike him down.
The half-ton animal charged directly at him, its horn pi.ercing deep into his body.
It struck again as Fandiño attempted to flee. Other matadors quickly intervened to distract the bull, while Fandiño, still conscious and bleeding profusely, was carried out of the ring.
French news outlets later confirmed that he suffered a heart attack en route to the hospital and did not survive the journey.
Fandiño’s d3ath was the first of its kind in France in nearly a century, with the last such incident recorded in Béziers in 1921, involving matador Isidoro Mari Fernando.
The tragic event reignited controversy surrounding bullfighting. Although many have called for the practice to be banned, France rejected a proposed ban in 2012, and Spain continues to legally protect bullfighting under its designation as “cultural heritage.”
Fandiño had experienced prior warning signs—he was thrown into the air by a bull in Pamplona earlier that year and was knocked unconscious during a separate event in France the year before.
Following his d3ath, tributes poured in, including honors from the Spanish royal family and the prime minister, paying respect to a man remembered for his courage and passion in one of the world’s most controversial traditions.
