Uruguayan soccer player Juan Izquierdo passed away on Tuesday at a hospital in Brazil, just five days after collapsing during a match in Sao Paulo. He was 27 years old. The Hospital Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo announced that Izquierdo died at 9:38 p.m. local time due to cardiorespiratory arrest linked to his cardiac arrhythmia. Izquierdo had been rushed to the hospital after collapsing near the end of a Copa Libertadores match at Morumbi Stadium last Thursday. Nacional, his Uruguayan club, expressed profound grief over his loss, stating that his death has deeply impacted their hearts.
South American soccer's governing body, CONMEBOL, also paid tribute to Izquierdo. CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez expressed his sorrow over Izquierdo's untimely death, noting that South American soccer is in mourning. Various federations, including those from Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina, offered their condolences. On Monday, doctors at the hospital reported that Izquierdo had been placed in neurological critical care due to increased intracranial pressure and had been on a ventilator since Sunday.
Uruguayan media reported that Izquierdo's parents and Nacional executives were at the Sao Paulo hospital. Izquierdo was married and had two children, with his youngest son having been born earlier in August. In response to Izquierdo's passing, Uruguay's first- and second-division soccer leagues were postponed last weekend out of respect. Additionally, Sao Paulo players donned shirts in support of the Uruguayan footballer before their 2-1 victory over Vitoria in a Brazilian league match on Sunday.