Ex-Man Utd youth star, 19, died after quitting football and 'sudden mood change'

Daily Mirror

21-05-2025

Vinicius de Oliveira Cabral de Souza was found dead in his bedroom in February with an inquest into his death having now established the circumstances of the ex-Man Utd academy star's passing
A former Manchester United youth star died after his sister had spotted a 'sudden mood change' but was told 'there is nothing more' she could have done to save him. Vinicius de Oliveira Cabral de Souza, just 19 and known affectionately as Vini, passed away in February.
A statement from his former club Warrington Town at the time read: "Scorer of the most spectacular goals, Vini was a well respected, much-loved member of the club, and his ability earned him a place training with the first team despite his young age.
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"He played for the first team last season in the Cheshire Senior Cup against Cheadle Town, and trained regularly with the first team, appearing in numerous pre-season friendlies over the past couple of seasons."
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An enquiry has now looked into the circumstances of his death. Bolton Coroner's Court heard that he had quit football just months before his death, with his sister, Mayara De Souza, noticing a distinct change in her sibling.
It was told that the 19-year-old had previously apologised to family and friends for letting them down. Vini was 'disappointed' when he was dropped by United at the age of 14 - albeit he continued playing football for five years.
He is said to have never explained why he gave up and stopped training with Warrington Town. It was also said that he had seen his self-esteem drop after his steroid cream for acne run out.
Speaking about her brother, Mayara De Souza said: "He stopped doing the things that he liked to do such as football, going to the gym and seeing friends.
'He started apologising about the way he treated us and we didn't understand what he meant. His best friend as well, he said the same to him and he said he doesn't know why." She continued: "He said to my dad before he died, 'Am I going to be arrested for this?' And [my dad] said, 'for what?'
"He said, 'because of the way that I am, I'm going to be arrested'. And there was an occasion where he saw a police car but it was for a neighbour. He thought it was for him."
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Miss De Souza attempted to get her brother help as she booked a session for him with a psychotherapist which he attended in January, but he turned down any further sessions. When she told Vini he may have been depressed, he 'laughed in her face', she told the inquest.
Vini had also stopped going out with friends after admitting to his mum that he had taken drugs at a nightclub on one occasion. A toxicologist's report found no trace of drugs or alcohol in Vini's system when he died.
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Vini was eventually found dead on February 20, with police concluding that he had died as a result of 'self-inflicted means by hanging'.
Assistant coroner Stephen Teesdale was satisfied with that cause. Addressing his family, he said: "There's nothing more you could have done. You did everything. You spotted the problem - depression. You made a plan, you sought professional assistance from a psychotherapist.
"You had a plan to take him to Brazil. There's nothing more you could have done. He had an entirely supportive family. It was to do with how he saw the world."
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