The owner of the 'Teacher Foo Physics Playfully' page explained clearly and succinctly why lightning strikes footballers, causing death, in an easily understandable way.
On 9 August 2026, a tragic incident struck Thai football when "Sofwan Awae," a footballer for Yala FC in Thai League 3, died after being hit by lightning on the football field.
The 'Teacher Foo Physics Playfully' page explained why lightning struck the footballer instead of nearby trees or buildings, even though those were taller.
"When lightning strikes, it does not target a specific object and then travel down to it. Clouds are high above and cannot lock onto a target. The cloud first releases part of its electrical charge, branching out layer by layer. At the end of each branch, it searches for something to connect with. If nothing is found, it continues branching to find the easiest path. For example, if near a building, it will strike the building; near a tree, it will strike the tree. While branching happens high in the sky, within the last 50 meters, the lightning looks for objects within its range to strike. If a person is in that range, lightning can strike the person even if they are shorter than nearby buildings or trees, especially in open spaces. However, if there is something taller nearby and not too far, lightning will strike the taller object instead of the person, though indirect strikes can still be dangerous."
"Looking at the football field model, which is typically about 100 meters long, tall trees offer no protection because they are too far away. There is no safe spot on the field in such a situation. To be safe, one must seek shelter inside buildings or vehicles."