The football world is in shock as global media reports have emerged that Manchester City legend Sergio Agüero was among the passengers on board a Boeing 767 that crashed en route from Barcelona to Buenos Aires.

According to a simulated report from a “hypothetical” source, the plane suffered a fire in its right engine just 12 minutes after leaving the runway. Despite attempts by the crew to make an emergency landing, the incident resulted in serious damage with many passengers injured, some of whom are believed to have died.

Local authorities (in a fictional setting) said that Sergio Agüero, who scored 260 goals for Manchester City and is a living icon of Argentine football, was on the passenger list. He was returning home to take part in a charity tournament for children with heart disease – an annual event since his retirement.

On social media, millions of fans, former teammates and big clubs such as Man City, Barcelona and the Argentina national team simultaneously posted messages of sharing, remembrance and hope. The image of Agüero’s statue placed in front of the Etihad stadium quickly became a symbol of loss in the hearts of fans.

What moved the community the most was the last tweet from Agüero’s personal account a few hours before the flight: “Always looking forward to good things, wherever you are.”

On television, many former players such as Messi, Kompany, Silva and Pep Guardiola (in a simulated setting) could not hold back their tears when mentioning their teammate, student and friend who wrote a brilliant history with them at Etihad.

The incident raised many questions about aviation safety, especially with private flights that former athletes often use.

While waiting for official confirmation from the family and authorities, the global football community is still expressing a faint hope that all the information is just a mistake. And if this tragedy is real – then Sergio Agüero will forever live in the hearts of millions as an irreplaceable icon.