Uruguayan Soccer Player Juan Izquierdo Passes Away in Brazil After On-Field Collapse
Uruguayan soccer player Juan Izquierdo has passed away in Brazil, five days after collapsing during a match in São Paulo.São Paulo — Juan Izquierdo, a 27-year-old Uruguayan soccer player, died on Tuesday at Hospital Albert Einstein in São Paulo, Brazil. His death comes five days after he collapsed during a Copa Libertadores match at São Paulo’s Morumbi Stadium. The hospital reported that Izquierdo succumbed to “cardiorespiratory arrest associated with his cardiac arrhythmia” at 9:38 p.m. local time.
Izquierdo, who played as a defender for the Uruguayan club Nacional, was rushed to the hospital after his collapse during the game last Thursday. Following the incident, he was placed in neurological critical care due to increased intracranial pressure and had been on a ventilator since Sunday.
The Uruguayan club Nacional expressed profound grief over Izquierdo’s death, stating on social media that his loss has left them with “deep pain” and that the entire club is mourning the loss of their “irreplaceable” player. Similarly, CONMEBOL President Alejandro Domínguez conveyed his sorrow, declaring, “South American soccer is in mourning” over the tragedy. Other soccer federations, including those from Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina, have also extended their condolences.
Uruguayan media reported that Izquierdo’s family and Nacional officials were present at the hospital during his final days. Izquierdo was married and had two children, with his youngest son born earlier in August.
The soccer community has been deeply affected by the loss. Inter Miami striker Luis Suárez expressed his condolences, describing the situation as “pain, sadness, it is hard to explain,” and extended his wishes of strength to Izquierdo’s family and friends. In response to the tragedy, Uruguay’s top soccer leagues postponed their matches over the weekend, and São Paulo FC players donned shirts in support of Izquierdo before their 2-1 victory against Vitória on Sunday.
São Paulo FC also issued a statement of mourning, saying, “We had days of prayers, union, and hope, and today we are in deep sadness with the news of the death of Juan Izquierdo.” The club offered their condolences to Izquierdo’s family, friends, teammates, Nacional fans, and the Uruguayan people.
Izquierdo began his professional career in 2018 with local club Cerro before joining Peñarol the following year. Although his time at Peñarol was brief, he later moved to Montevideo Wanderers and gained prominence. In 2021, he caught the eye of Mexico’s San Luís but returned quickly to Montevideo Wanderers. Izquierdo joined Nacional in 2022, played one match, and then transferred to Liverpool, where he was instrumental in their 2023 Uruguayan league title win. He rejoined Nacional this year, competing for a starting spot and making 23 appearances with one goal.
Izquierdo’s death recalls the 2004 tragedy when São Caetano defender Serginho died shortly after collapsing at Morumbi Stadium during a Brazilian league match. That incident led to significant changes in health protocols, including the mandatory presence of defibrillators in stadiums. A defibrillator was used on Izquierdo as he was transported to Hospital Albert Einstein.
Former São Caetano player Anderson Lima reflected on the enduring sadness, stating on Instagram, “Such sadness, 20 years later. May God comfort his family in this sad moment.”
Reporting by Subrata Nag Choudhary; Writing by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Clarence Fernandez