Uruguayan soccer player Juan Izquierdo passed away at the age of 27 on Tuesday, five days after collapsing during a Copa Libertadores match in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Hospital Albert Einstein in Sao Paulo confirmed that Izquierdo died at 9:38 p.m. local time due to “cardiorespiratory arrest associated with his cardiac arrhythmia.”
Izquierdo collapsed shortly before the end of the game at Sao Paulo’s Morumbi Stadium last Thursday. He was immediately taken to Hospital Albert Einstein, where he was placed in neurological critical care after showing signs of increased intracranial pressure. On Sunday, he was put on a ventilator.
The Uruguayan club Nacional, where Izquierdo was currently playing, released a statement expressing their sorrow: “All Nacional is in grief for his irreplaceable loss.” The club also noted the deep impact of his death on the team and its supporters.
CONMEBOL president Alejandro Domínguez commented on Izquierdo’s passing, stating, “South American soccer is in mourning.” Tributes and condolences were also shared by soccer federations in Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina.
Uruguayan soccer authorities decided to postpone last weekend’s first- and second-division matches due to concerns over Izquierdo’s condition. Meanwhile, Sao Paulo players showed their support by wearing a shirt in his honor before their 2-1 victory against Vitoria in the Brazilian league on Sunday.
Izquierdo’s career began in 2018 with Cerro, a local Uruguayan club. In 2019, he joined Peñarol, though he saw limited playing time. After a brief stint with Mexico’s San Luís in 2021, he returned to Montevideo Wanderers before signing with Nacional in 2022. He was later transferred to Liverpool FC in Uruguay, where he played a key role in helping the team secure its first Uruguayan league title in over a century in 2023.
Earlier this year, Izquierdo rejoined Nacional, competing for a spot in the starting lineup with veteran Sebastián Coates. Throughout the year, Izquierdo played 23 matches and scored one goal.
Izquierdo is survived by his wife and two children, the youngest of whom was born earlier this month. His parents and Nacional officials were with him at the hospital in Sao Paulo during his final days.
Sao Paulo FC, the club hosting the match during which Izquierdo collapsed, also issued a statement following his death: “We had days of prayers, union, and hope, and today we are in deep sadness with the news of the death of Juan Izquierdo.” Peñarol, one of Izquierdo’s former teams, also expressed their condolences, saying, “We express our heartfelt condolences and we embrace his family, his friends, and Nacional in this moment of so much pain.”
