Footballer Juan Izquierdo Dies Suddenly at 27: The Shocking Reason Behind His Death
Uruguayan footballer Juan Izquierdo has tragically passed away at the age of 27, just days after collapsing during a match in Brazil, according to his club, Nacional, and South America’s football governing body.
Nacional released a heartfelt statement on social media, expressing their “deep pain and impact in our hearts” and noting that “all Nacional is in grief for his irreplaceable loss.”
South American soccer’s governing body also paid tribute to Izquierdo, who collapsed on the pitch during a Copa Libertadores match at Sao Paulo’s Morumbi Stadium last Thursday. He was immediately rushed to Hospital Albert Einstein, where his condition was initially reported as stable.
However, on Tuesday, the hospital revealed that Izquierdo had suffered “cardiorespiratory arrest associated with his cardiac arrhythmia.”
On Monday, doctors had reported that Izquierdo was experiencing increased intracranial pressure. He had been on a ventilator since Sunday and was under neurological critical care.
Izquierdo’s parents and executives from Nacional were present at the hospital in Sao Paulo, where the young footballer was receiving treatment.
Izquierdo leaves behind a wife and two children.
In response to the tragedy, Uruguay’s first- and second-division leagues were postponed over the weekend, and players from Sao Paulo showed their support by wearing shirts honoring Izquierdo before their 2-1 victory against Vitoria on Sunday.
Izquierdo began his professional career in 2018 with local club Cerro, later joining Peñarol and then Montevideo Wanderers. He signed with Nacional in 2022, played one match, and was subsequently transferred to Liverpool, where he became one of the standout players in their 2023 league title-winning campaign, the club’s first in over a century. Earlier this year, Izquierdo returned to Nacional before his untimely passing.