Elson Becerra

Elson Becerra

Personal information
Full name	Elson Evelio Becerra Vaca
Date of birth	April 26, 1978(1978-04-26)
Place of birth	Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
Date of death	January 8, 2006(2006-01-08) (aged 27)
Place of death	Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
Playing position	Winger, deep-lying striker
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps†	(Gls)†
1999–2001	Deportes Tolima	72	(13)
2001–2003	Atletico Junior	?	(?)
2003	América de Cali	?	(?)
2003–2006	Al Jazira	?	(?)
National team‡
2000–2003	Colombia	14	(1)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 22:14, 9 December 2007 (UTC). † Appearances (Goals). ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:14, 9 December 2007 (UTC)

Elson Evelio Becerra Vaca (April 26, 1978 – January 8, 2006) was a Colombian footballer.

A national team player, Becerra participated in the 2001 Copa America as well as the 2003 Confederations Cup, where he became noted for trying to save the life of the collapsed Marc-Vivien Foé. He also featured in Colombia's unsuccessful qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.

On club level the striker had played for Al Jazira in the United Arab Emirates since 2003. He previously played for Deportes Tolima and Atlético Junior.

Becerra was shot in a night club in his birth town Cartagena together with his friend Alexander Ríos, apparently after they had had a fight with a group of men a couple of days earlier.

External links

• Elson Becerra at National-Football-Teams.com
• Xinhua (January 10, 2006). "Colombian national soccer team player shot dead". People's Daily Online. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/200601/10/eng20060110_234062.html. Retrieved 2007-01-26.