At just 33 years old, the former player of the Chivas from Guadalajara, Antonio ‘Hulk’ Salazar, died tragically. Their remains were found charred in the trunk of his car –a white Cavalier from 2018–. Although at first it was not known with certainty if it was him due to the conditions of the body, the Jalisco Prosecutor’s Office and relatives confirmed it thanks to the genetic tests carried out. This event will go down in history as one of the most impressive in the history of national football
The official reasons for his death have not been confirmed by the authorities, but the facts indicate the following: his family reported her missing from days gone by; on May 8, residents of the Colinas Universidad subdivision in Tonala, Jalisconotified the authorities of the existence of an abandoned and totally burned vehicle; the father of the Hulk He stated that this car belonged to his son and that had been robbed that same day; May 10 is when body found in trunk and until the 12th of the same month, forensic studies confirmed his identity.
Who was Antonio Hulk Salazar
nature striker, not as tall as the towers seen today, but its 1.78 m. they always made him compete against any defender; fast to the point that he could perform as a left winger without any complications; strong and fierce like the iconic character from movies and comics, Hulk. The nickname that accompanied him throughout his career represented very well what Salazar did on the court.
The Chivas quarry always gives flashes of quality and Antonio Hulk Salazar was one of them. Although he was born in Madero City, Tamaulipashis training as a professional footballer was in Guadalajara.
Came to Jalisco with the dream of becoming a striker in the first division and he achieved it after a long road. He was part of the basic forces of the Sacred Flockand there he met players like Marco Fabián, Xabier Baéz y Erick Cube Torres.
After having felt what it is to be in the quarry of the Championhis opportunity in Liga MX came in 2007 when he was just 18 years old. A Classic against America It was the stage in which Salazar lived his first minutes in the maximum circuit.
His consolidation in the first division did not come that year, so he had to show his quality in subsidiary teams. His brilliant performance in the 2008 Chivas Cup —he was leading scorer and champion— gave him one more opportunity in the first division team.
True to the nature of a lethal striker, he and the goal quickly found each other in this comeback. In a 2008 game against Puebla he replaced the legend, Omar Bravoand only 20 seconds on the field were enough for him to score his first goal in the MX League.
A career of 6 teams
Luck as an elite striker was not at his feet. He never managed to consolidate himself in the group red and white as the reference 9, so he had to jump to several teams. It should be noted that direct competition from him were players like Omar Bravo y Javier Chicharito Hernández: standing out like this was extremely complicated.
In 2010 he went to the extinct Chiapas Jaguars on loan in search of further activity. For 2011, his return to Chivas was announced, where he had his second and last stage. In 2012 he went back to Jaguares but he didn’t shine either.
In 2013 he tried his luck in the Liga de Ascenso. He joined the ranks of the Altamira FC, and without much luck he ended up leaving that same year. Her next destination would be with the sugarcane from Zacatepec, there he remained until 2014 when he decided to change the scene. He jumped into Costa Rican soccer to defend the colors of the Saints of Guapiles. Finally, in 2015 he returned to Mexico to play with Cimarrons of Sonorahis last club. Throughout his career he played a total of 177 games and scored 24 times..
Although it cannot be confirmed that the death was a direct attack on the former soccer player, the conditions in which his body was found is a reflection of what is happening in the state of Jalisco.
The investigations still need to be carried out by the authorities to ensure what exactly happened; however, one fact must not be overlooked: Jalisco has become one of the most violent states in Mexico. The Secretary of Security and Citizen Protection (SSPC) assured that this state is one of the 6 that concentrate 50% of intentional homicides in Mexico registered in the first quarter of 2022.