THUNDER BALL: Terror As Lightning Strikes Pitch During Football Match

This is the incredible moment when a bolt of lightning strikes a football pitch while a match is taking place.

Terrified players ducked for cover and one even threw himself to the ground after the lightning crackled on the grass.

In the video footage – shot in Nueva Londres, Paraguay, on 29th January – the bolt hits the ground with a tremendous crack of thunder during a rain storm.

One player close to the strike turns around and legs it in terror.

Another hurls himself to the ground apparently to avoid being hit by a second strike.

Geophysics professor Widinei Fernandes told media in neighbouring Brazil: “Looking at the video, you can see it was a lightning strike formed by two or three discharges.

Lightning strikes during a soccer match in Paraguay, Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023. No one was hurt as a result of the incident. (CEN)

“In general, lightning is formed by three discharges, these discharges then take advantage of the main one to have subsequent discharges.

“People are at great risk, because a discharge could even kill a person.”

Local officials said no one present at the match was injured.

Remarkably, despite the adverse weather, the match was not called off and finished as scheduled.

Professor Fernandes warned: “Everyone should look for covered shelter, they were very lucky, someone could have died.”