Shooting victim Cabanas eyes comeback

Paraguay striker Salvador Cabanas has spoken publicly for the first time about the gun attack that almost killed him, and is eyeing a comeback.

The forward was shot in the head from point-blank range on January 25 in a bar in Mexico City after an argument about his performance for then-club side America.

Incredibly, the 30-year-old survived the attack. He now suffers only limited memory loss despite the bullet remaining lodged in his brain.

A proven goalscorer at club and international level, Cabanas had been linked with a move to Europe at the time of his shooting.

His attacker, notorious Mexican drugs trafficker JJ Balderas, was eventually caught by police.

Cabanas told Paraguayan television program El Conejo that the ordeal had changed his outlook on life.

“In the very moment that I was shot, right then I felt God was close, by my side telling me I had to go back to my family, that I have to be with them, enjoy them, that I still have a lot of life to live and to enjoy it with them,” Cabanas said.

The striker then recalled the exchange that led to the shooting: “He said a lot to me. He started talking a lot and he said to me, ‘You’re scared’, and ‘I know you’re scared’,” Cabanas said.

“I said to him, ‘What am I afraid of? What am I going to be afraid of? No, I am not scared’. And he said, ‘Oh, so you’re not scared? And this (gun) against your forehead?’. ‘I’m not scared. Why would I be scared?’.”

Cabanas left intensive care late in February 2010 but could not recover in time to make his country’s squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, having scored six goals in qualifying.

The 44-cap forward has not given up hope of representing his country again, and has been training with Paraguayan Primera Division champions Libertad.

He is involved with Paraguay in a non-playing capacity at the Copa America, and is due to return to the pitch for his testimonial against Mexico in August.