A 10-year-old boy has been stabbed to death by a masked man while playing football with friends, Paralel.Az reports citing Spanish media.

The suspect fled after attacking the youngster on the football pitch at around 9.45am on Sunday.

The boy was tragically only 10 years old

The killer first tried to stab several others, but then turned on the boy when they fled.

He was not targeting a specific victim, but rather killed the first person he could reach, OKDiario reported.

The boy collapsed by the touchline at a sports complex in the small town of Mocejon in the Spanish province of Toledo - an hour’s drive south of Madrid.

Emergency responders could not save the boy who had gone into cardiac arrest despite their best attempts.

A police manhunt is underway for the killer, who was said to have had his face covered with a scarf and sped off in a grey Ford Mondeo.

The Civil Guard is investigating the events, which occurred at the Ángel Tardío sports centre.

The boy’s family are understood to have been informed about what had happened.

There is no known motive for the attack at this stage and police have stepped up patrols in the area.