Reiner Wirsching, a former Bundesliga footballer, has died at the age of 63 following a collision with a deer while cycling in Germany.
The ex-striker was not wearing a helmet when the freak accident occurred on Thursday night.
Wirsching was riding along a bike path near Bad Kissingen when he collided with the animal, causing him to be thrown from his bicycle.
A passing motorist discovered him lying beside the road and immediately alerted emergency services.
Paramedics rushed to the scene on federal road 286 between Poppenroth and Bad Kissingen, providing first aid before he was transported to hospital.
Despite the efforts of medical staff, Wirsching succumbed to his injuries on Saturday.
It is understood the impact caused him to fall onto his head, resulting in a severe skull base fracture with heavy bleeding, which his brother Dieter said left almost no chance of survival.
Tributes have poured in for the former forward, who made 72 Bundesliga appearances for 1. FC Nuremberg between 1989 and 1992, scoring 14 goals.
The club released a statement saying: “Our deepest sympathy and heartfelt condolences go out to all his loved ones.”
Wirsching began his career at SV Stammheim before moving to Schweinfurt 05 in 1988, making his professional debut at 25.
He later played for TSV Vestenbergsgreuth, SC Weismain, and FV 04 Würzburg before retiring in 2001, after which he briefly managed FV 04 Würzburg.
Alongside his football career, Mr Wirsching also pursued medicine, graduating from the University of Erlangen–Nuremberg in 1996.
His thesis was titled Results after surgical treatment of acute fibular ligament rupture of the upper ankle joint.
He went on to specialise in orthopaedics, trauma surgery, and sports medicine, eventually becoming club doctor at Schweinfurt 05 from 2013 to 2019.
More recently, he had been working with TSV Bad Königshofen in the table tennis Bundesliga.
Politician Stefan Günther paid tribute, recalling: “Reiner Wirsching once greeted me in his clinic with the words, ‘I can’t get you back to 100 per cent, but we’ll get you to 98 per cent.’
“He then operated on my ACL tear and, thanks to that, gave me many more good years in football. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Rest in peace.”
