Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack’s son Emilio has been killed in a quad crash in Portugal.
The 18-year-old is said to have died in an accident around 2am on Thursday morning.
Portuguese media are reporting the tragedy happened in Troia south of Lisbon, close to a house his retired footballer dad purchased years ago.
German Michael Ballack is widely regarded as one of his homeland’s best-ever players.
He joined Chelsea in 2006 and won honours in his first season at the club. He left Stamford Bridge after playing part of a league and cup double in 2010.
Emilio posted photos of the sun setting on a Portuguese beach over the weekend as well as another snap of Comporta Beach Club, a trendy hangout near the scene of this morning's crash.
The Troia Peninsula, opposite Setubal where Jose Mourinho hails from, is one of the most beautiful coastlines of Portugal with an eight-mile stretch of pristine sands and crystal-clear waters.
The main tourist development of Troia is to the northern tip of the peninsula.
Local reports said the accident that resulted in Michael Ballack’s son losing his life happened near an apartment block known as Villas do Mar.
Firefighters from nearby Gondola are known to have been mobilised. Details of the fatal accident have not yet been made public.
Firefighters who were among the emergency services sent to the scene were unable to confirm the dead man was Ballack’s son.
But they revealed the tragedy happened when the quad fell on top of the victim and crushed him on land at the estate where he was staying.
An officer based at Grandola near Troia said: “I know the dead man was the son of a well-known footballer but I don’t have details about who it was.
“The accident happened at the family home. The quad rider wasn’t on a public road and his was the only vehicle involved.
“The quad was on an uneven piece of land and at this stage it appears to have gone backwards and as it did fell on top of the victim and crushed him."
Efforts to revive the youngster at the scene were unsuccessful and he was declared dead at the spot where the accident occurred.
GNR police based in Troia and paramedics were also mobilised. Trained counsellors are said to be helping the dead man’s family, who according to one of the emergency responders were in the house at the time.
The teenager’s body has been taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in the city of Santiago de Cacem south of the scene of the accident for a post-mortem.
Jorge Santos, spokesman for the GNR police force in the city of Setubal , confirmed: “An 18-year-old man has died following an accident at a private property in Troia.
"We received an alert shortly after 2am this morning. I am not at liberty to go into details about the identify of the dead man.
“I can confirm he was on the vehicle he had his accident in alone.”
He added: “The accident happened at a property on a residential estate called Vilas do Mar in Troia.
“The incident is now under investigation and there is nothing more we can say.”
His former club, Chelsea, tweeted their condolences, writing: "Everybody associated with Chelsea Football Club is shocked and saddened to learn of the death of Emilio Ballack at the terribly young age of 18.
"All our thoughts are with his father Michael and his family at this sad time."
Tragic final photos captured highlights from his family's summer holiday in Portugal just days before he was killed.
Emilio appeared to be enjoying his summer break at his family's estate, just weeks following his school graduation in Munich.
He had been posting updates on his Instagram account, including a selfie in front of dozens of pairs of shoes, and a photo of the sun setting on a Portuguese beach at the weekend.
Another snap showed Comporta Beach Club, a trendy hangout near the scene of Thursday's crash.
Previous photos showed him wearing a cap and gown on his graduation day in June, having a good time with pals, and taking in a Brooklyn Nets basketball game with his dad.
Michael Ballack picked Portugal to rest and recover after having a tumour removed from near his spinal cord last year.
The former Chelsea and Germany midfielder had a growth discovered on his body during an MRI examination by doctor, according to Bild.
The early detection proved fortunate for the 44-year-old and the tumour was removed before lab examinations cleared Ballack of any fears the growth was cancerous.
The former footballer has yet to make any official comment about the fatal accident.
