Portugal prodigy Bruno Tavares, 18, rushed to hospital after 'being SHOT in chest by a pal in joke gone horribly wrong'

Portugal prodigy Bruno Tavares was rushed to hospital after reportedly being SHOT by a friend on Sunday morning.

The Sporting Lisbon winger, 18, has won 38 Portuguese youth caps and scored nine goals.

Sporting see the Lisbon-born teenager as a major star of the future, and tied him to a new five-year contract in May.

But local media report Tavares narrowly cheated death at the weekend while in a car with pals at a service station.

One man is understood to have produced a loaded pistol as part of friendly banter.

However the weapon is said to have gone off accidentally, striking the footballer in the chest.

He was rushed to Lisbon's Hospital Garcia de Orta and underwent emergency surgery.

Doctors have since discharged him, and Sporting's medical staff have taken over his care.

Police have begun a hunt for the shooter, who fled the scene with the gun.

And Sporting officials are considering disciplinary action against Tavares once he has recovered from his wounds.

The right winger shares his surname with Seventies soul, funk and R&B stars Tavares.

The American group's hits include It Only Takes A Minute, Whodunit and Heaven Must Be Missing An Angel.

Meanwhile, in September, Sporting named their youth academy after its most famous graduate – Cristiano Ronaldo.