The world of football is in mourning after the tragic news of the death of the Uruguayan footballer Juan Izquierdowho died on Tuesday, August 27, days after collapsing during a Copa Libertadores match.
Juan IzquierdoThe 27-year-old was a defender for Club Nacional de Football and his death has left a deep impact on the football community and its fans. The incident occurred last Thursday, during the second leg of the Copa Libertadores round of 16 between Nacional and São Paulo, played at the Morumbi Stadium.
Izquierdo, who had started the match on the bench and came on in the second half, collapsed on the field after suffering a cardiac arrhythmia in the final minutes of the match. The player was immediately treated by the medical team and rushed to the Hospital Israelita Albert Einstein in São Paulo, where he was admitted in critical condition..
Upon arrival at the hospital, Izquierdo was resuscitated with a defibrillator after going into cardiac arrest, which caused irreversible neurological damage. Since then, he has remained sedated and on mechanical ventilation in the hospital’s neurological intensive care unit.
Despite medical efforts, his health condition progressively worsened, showing increased intracranial pressure and critical brain damage. Finally, on Tuesday, August 27, Izquierdo died at 9:38 p.m. local time due to cardiorespiratory arrest associated with his cardiac arrhythmia.
The news of his death has shocked Uruguayan and South American football. Club Nacional de Football issued a statement expressing its deep sorrow and condolences to the player’s family and friends.
Sad goodbye
“With the deepest pain and shock in our hearts, Club Nacional de Football announces the death of our beloved player Juan Izquierdo,” reads the message posted on social network X. The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) also paid tribute to Leftwith its president Alejandro Domínguez expressing his sorrow for the loss of the player and stressing that “South American football is in mourning.”
Several football federations, including those of Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina, have expressed their condolences. In Uruguay, the first and second division football leagues were postponed last weekend due to concerns about the health of the players. Juan IzquierdoIn Brazil, São Paulo players showed their support for the Uruguayan footballer by wearing t-shirts with encouraging messages before their league match against Vitória.
