Sunday evening took an unexpected turn for former matador Cayetano Rivera Ordóñez, ending in a car accident. The incident occurred around nine o’clock in the evening as he was leaving the exclusive Real Club Sevilla Golf in Alcalá de Guadaíra. Rivera, who was behind the wheel of a van, suddenly lost control of the vehicle. The car veered onto a roundabout with greenery and crashed head-on into a palm tree at full speed. The impact was so strong that the tree collapsed to the ground.
Police officers who arrived at the scene carried out the standard alcohol test procedure. The test came back positive, which may explain the loss of control over the vehicle. Despite the severity of the accident and significant damage to the car, Cayetano Rivera fortunately escaped without serious injuries and his condition is not a cause for concern. Authorities are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident, but this episode has added to the string of troubles the celebrity has faced in 2025.
This year has been truly challenging for Rivera. In the spring, he publicly announced his breakup with Portuguese journalist Maria Cerqueira. Their romance lasted two years, but, according to reports, constant travel and living between two countries eventually destroyed their relationship. Almost simultaneously with these personal troubles, the torero made an important announcement about his career: the 2025 season would be his last. Thus, he decided to end his twenty-year career in the arena, timing his retirement to coincide with the centenary of his legendary great-grandfather’s induction as a matador.
However, the problems didn’t end with his personal life. On the night of June 30, Cayetano was detained in Madrid. The incident took place at a fast-food restaurant on Atocha Street and escalated into a confrontation with the police. He was charged with resisting and disobeying law enforcement officers. Later, Rivera released several statements insisting he was innocent of assaulting officers and described their actions as ‘disproportionate.’
On top of everything else, family tensions have also escalated. The relationship between Cayetano and his older brother, Fran Rivera, has reached a breaking point. This became evident to everyone at the funeral of their colleague, matador Rafael de Paula, held on November 4. The brothers were part of the same funeral procession but pointedly ignored each other: they didn’t exchange greetings, words, or even glances. This icy neutrality only reinforced rumors that their bond has been severed for good.
