Juan Izquierdo Dies After Collapsing On The Pitch

Nacional player Juan Izquierdo died after collapsing on the field while playing a game. At first, it was thought that he was in a stable condition but eventually died at the hospital.

The 27-year-old Uruguayan footballer experienced a ‘heart arrhythmia’ and fell in the 84th minute of the game.

He died days after collapsing during a game in Brazil, according to Uruguayan club and South American football’s governing body.

The club, Nacional, 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 the incident, only days after he collapsed and was rushed to the hospital, before the team declared he was in a ‘steady condition’.

Izquierdo was taken to Hospital Albert Einstein after he heavily fell during a Copa Libertadores soccer match at Sao Paulo’s Morumbi Arena last Thursday.

According to the Hospital’s explanation late Tuesday, Izquierdo had ‘cardiorespiratory arrest which was related with his heart arrhythmia.’

In a statement Monday, doctors at the hospital had said Izquierdo was experiencing increased intracranial pressure. He had been on a ventilator since Sunday and under neurological critical care since Monday.

Izquierdo’s professional career started in 2018 at club Cerro. He later joined Peñarol the next year, but didn’t get a lot of playing time. The defender then moved to Montevideo Wanderers.

In 2021, Mexico’s San Luis got interested in his athleticism and sharp tackles, but he quickly returned to the Montevideo Wanderers.

In 2022, Nacional signed Izquierdo, who only appeared in one match before transferred to the local Liverpool club.

The defender was one of Liverpool’s best during the 2023 Uruguayan league championship campaign, the club’s first in over a century.

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Meanhwile, South American soccer’s governing body said the continent is in grieving in a statement.

Izquierdo returned to Nacional this year and was vying for a position in the starting lineup with veteran Sebastián Coates, who played for Uruguay’s national team. He played 23 matches this year and scored one goal.

Izquierdo was married and had two children—the youngest, a boy, was born earlier in August.

Concerns about Izquierdo’s health caused the weekend postponement of Uruguay’s first and second division leagues.

Before the team’s 2-1 victory over Vitoria on Sunday in the Brazilian league, Sao Paulo players wore shirts that showed their support for the Uruguayan footballer.