Franco Acosta Machado (5 March 1996 – 6 March 2021) was a Uruguayan professional footballer who played as a striker.
Born in Montevideo, Acosta joined Centro Atlético Fénix's youth setup in 2009, aged 13. On 23 November 2013, he made his first team debut, coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1–0 home loss against Liverpool F.C. for the Primera División championship.[1]
Acosta scored his first professional goal on 16 February 2014, netting the second in a 3–0 away win against Racing Club de Montevideo.[2] On 1 July he agreed to a deal with S.C. Braga,[3] but returned to Fénix in September.[4]
Acosta was eventually included in the main squad and appeared in eight matches, scoring once. On 19 January 2015, he signed a 5+1⁄2-year contract with Villarreal CF, being assigned to the reserves in Segunda División B.[5]
On 15 January 2018, Acosta joined Segunda División B team Racing de Santander on loan until the end of the season.[6] Acosta was then loaned out to Plaza Colonia for the 2019 season.[7] He left Villarreal at the end of 2019 and remained without a club until 10 August 2020, when he signed with Atenas de San Carlos.
On 6 March 2021, a day after his 25th birthday, Acosta disappeared after trying with his brother to swim across the Arroyo Pando, located in the Department of Canelones, Uruguay. Two days later, on 8 March 2021, his body was found, and was declared dead at the scene.[8]
