Bullfighting star Andrés Roca Rey -- aka the "Messi of Matadors" -- suffered gruesome injuries during a show in Spain on Tuesday ... after he was terrifyingly gored by a 1,100-pound beast.
The horrifying incident happened at the Santiago de Santander Fair ... when Roca Rey was attempting to lure a bull through his cape.
The matador stared down the animal for several seconds ... but when it finally charged -- it ended up catching Roca Rey right in the thigh. It then took him for a scary ride.
The bull tosses Andrés in the air ... before ramming him into the stadium's boards. The bull then appears to stick its horns in the man -- before turning its attention to other matadors who had jumped in to help.
Roca Rey's teammate, Cayetano Rivera Ordoñez, jumped in the ring and managed to divert the bull's attention away from Roca Rey but was then gored by the bull as well suffering a fractured rib.
GRACIAS 🙏 A DIOS ESTÁS BIEN MAESTRO ANDRÉS ROCA REY, GRACIAS AL MAESTRO CAYETANO RIVERA ORDÓÑEZ Y AL EXCELENTE TORERO DE PLATA OCTAVIO CHACÓN, QUE TE ACOMPAÑA EN TU CUADRILLA.
— BRIDGE (@brichipichy) July 26, 2023
"COMO UNA ROCA SIGUES SIENDO EL REY". pic.twitter.com/9dj12t5tuf
Reportedly, Roca Rey was taken to the hospital with wounds to his knee -- and bruises on his neck, face, and legs.
Fortunately for the fighter, however, he avoided life-threatening wounds ... and took to Instagram just hours later to thank his teammate and fellow matador Cayetano Rivera Ordoñez who jumped in to save him and was attacked and gored by the bull as well, suffering a fractured right rib.
Roca Rey is considered one of the best bullfighters in the world -- earning comparisons to Lionel Messi for the way he dominated his sport after moving to Spain from South America.