Uruguayan soccer player Juan Izquierdo, who played for Nacional, tragically passed away on Tuesday, just days after collapsing during a Copa Libertadores match in Brazil. He was 27 years old.
Izquierdo succumbed to “cardiorespiratory arrest associated with his cardiac arrhythmia” at Hospital Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo, according to officials. Earlier in the week, doctors placed him in neurological critical care due to increased intracranial pressure, and he had been on a ventilator since Sunday.
The incident occurred last Thursday during Nacional’s match against Sao Paulo, when Izquierdo suddenly collapsed on the field.
“For many, Juan Izquierdo, my Juanma, my best friend, my husband, the father of my children, my unconditional partner. Today, a part of me dies with you,” his wife, Selena, wrote in a heartfelt message shared on the player’s social media accounts, expressing her grief and saying goodbye to “the love of my life.”
Mateo Antoni, Izquierdo’s teammate, also paid tribute to him, remembering him as both a mentor and a friend. “I can’t describe how great you were with me,” Antoni wrote in a letter. “What remains with me for all my life is that I know I will always watch your back because I know you will be watching mine.”
Izquierdo began his professional career with Cerro in the Uruguayan Primera Division and played for several teams, including Penarol, Wanderers, Nacional, and Liverpool. He also played four matches for Atletico in Liga MX in Mexico. In 2024, he re-joined Nacional after helping Liverpool win the Uruguayan league title in 2023, starting 13 of the 14 games he appeared in.
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