South American football is grieving the loss of Uruguayan defender Juan Izquierdo, who tragically died after collapsing during a Copa Libertadores match last week. Izquierdo, 27, experienced a cardiorespiratory arrest due to a cardiac arrhythmia, as confirmed by his club, Nacional, following a medical report from the Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo, Brazil. He passed away at 9:38 p.m. local time on Tuesday (0038 GMT Wednesday).
Izquierdo’s sudden death has been described as an “irreparable loss” by Nacional, who shared their grief on the social media platform X. The head of the South American football governing body, CONMEBOL, Alejandro Domínguez, also conveyed his condolences, reflecting the profound impact of Izquierdo’s passing on the football community.
Izquierdo began his professional career with Club Atlético Cerro in Uruguay’s first division in 2018 and joined Nacional in 2022. Throughout his tenure at Nacional, he made 33 appearances and scored two goals. His passing comes just after his team’s 2-0 defeat to São Paulo last Thursday, which saw São Paulo advance to the quarterfinals of the Copa Libertadores.
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