Teva Rodriguez, the 19-year-old captain of Nîmes Olympique’s reserve side, has died after a car crash near the city, prompting the French fourth-tier club to suspend all football activities as tributes pour in from across French football.
Nîmes Olympique has confirmed the death of Teva Rodriguez, the 19-year-old midfielder who captained the club’s reserve team in France’s Championnat National 1, after a car crash near the city left him with serious injuries he could not survive. Rodriguez was involved in the collision on the road between Dions and La Calmette on 5 July, when his car crashed head-on with a van coming in the opposite direction. Local reports said the crash took place on the RD22 road in the Gard department, with emergency services responding rapidly before Rodriguez was airlifted to hospital in a critical condition.
Rushed to Hospital but Could Not Be Saved
Rodriguez was taken to the University Hospital of Nîmes following the crash, but died from his injuries on the evening of Tuesday, 7 July. Two other people involved in the collision were also seriously injured. A police investigation into the circumstances of the crash remains ongoing.
A Player Who Grew Up Through the Club’s Academy
Rodriguez had been with Nîmes Olympique since the age of five, progressing through every youth age group over 14 years before being appointed captain of the reserve side earlier this year. The club described him as “much more than a player,” saying he embodied Nîmes Olympique’s values throughout his time there.
Club president Rani Assaf said Rodriguez’s death had deeply affected everyone connected with the club, describing him as one of their own who had grown up entirely within its academy system. Mickaël Gas, who coached Rodriguez with the club’s Under-18s and reserve team, remembered him as “exemplary on the pitch – a fighter – and incredibly kind off it,” adding that he “represented Nîmes Olympique to perfection” and that “it is impossible to find anyone who would say something negative about him.” Dominique Sablier, who coached Rodriguez at Under-13 level, recalled him as a “true Nîmois” and compared his playing style to that of former Nîmes player Laurent Girard, describing him as “a number 6 in the style of” the club legend.
Club Suspends Activities and Pays Tribute
Announcing the news on social media, Nîmes Olympique said they were experiencing “immense sadness and profound pain” following Rodriguez’s death. The club confirmed that all football activities had been suspended in the aftermath, giving players, coaches and staff time to mourn, and changed the crest on its official website to black in tribute to the young player.
Tributes have continued to pour in from across French football since the announcement, with supporters leaving messages of condolence and mourning the loss of one of the club’s most promising young talents.
