Uruguayan footballer Juan Izquierdo, who collapsed mid-game, dies
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Sao Paulo: The Uruguayan footballer Juan Izquierdo, who collapsed during a game here, died on Tuesday. He was 27 years old, the Associated Press reported.
Hospital Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo said in a statement that the Nacional defender died at 9:38 p.m. local time following "cardiorespiratory arrest associated with his cardiac arrhythmia."
Izquierdo was taken to the hospital after he collapsed shortly before full-time in a Copa Libertadores soccer match at Sao Paulo's Morumbi Stadium last Thursday.
The Uruguayan club posted a statement on social media saying Izquierdo's death is felt "in deep pain and impact in our hearts" and "all Nacional is in grief for his irreplaceable loss."
South American soccer's governing body also posted a tribute. CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez said he's "deeply sorry about the early departure of Juan Izquierdo.
"South American soccer is in mourning," he said. Other federations, including Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina, also expressed their condolences.
In a statement Monday, doctors at the hospital said Izquierdo was put into neurological critical care because of increased intracranial pressure. He had been on a ventilator since Sunday.
Uruguayan media said Izquierdo's parents and Nacional executives were at the hospital in Sao Paulo. Izquierdo was married and had two children — the youngest, a boy, was born earlier in August.
Uruguay's first- and second-division soccer leagues were postponed last weekend due to concerns over Izquierdo's health. Sao Paulo players wore a shirt in support of the Uruguayan footballer before the team's 2-1 Brazilian league win against Vitoria on Sunday.
The Brazilian club also posted a message after Izquierdo's death.
"We had days of prayers, union and hope, and today we are in deep sadness with the news of the death of Juan Izquierdo," Sao Paulo's club statement said. "Our condolences to family, friends, teammates, Nacional fans and all the Uruguayan people in this moment of grief."