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Izquierdo, a defender for Club Nacional, collapsed on the pitch during the Copa Libertadores round-of-16 second-leg match against Sao Paulo last week, suffering from an irregular heartbeat.
Despite being placed on a ventilator and receiving neurological care, Izquierdo tragically lost his life six days later.
Club Nacional confirmed the devastating news with a statement expressing “the deepest sorrow” over Izquierdo’s passing. The hospital’s report revealed that the cause of death was “cardiorespiratory arrest associated with his cardiac arrhythmia.”
The incident occurred when Izquierdo replaced former Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates at half-time during the match.
In the latter stages of the game, Izquierdo fell unconscious and was immediately rushed to the hospital.
His sudden and tragic death has deeply affected the football community, leading to the postponement of matches in Uruguay’s top two divisions.
Additionally, Sao Paulo players showed their support by wearing shirts in honour of Izquierdo during their victory over Vitoria on Sunday.
Darwin Nunez, along with other prominent footballers like Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, took to social media to pay their respects.
Nunez expressed his condolences, while Bentancur shared a message on Instagram saying, “May you rest in peace.”
Club Nacional also mourned the loss on social media, stating, “It is with the deepest sorrow and shock in our hearts that the Club Nacional announces the death of our beloved player Juan Izquierdo. We express our most sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues, and loved ones. All of Nacional is in mourning for his irreparable loss.”
Izquierdo joined Nacional in 2022 and had a significant impact on Uruguayan football. He helped local club Liverpool Futbol Club win their first Uruguayan league title in over a century before returning to Nacional’s Estadio Gran Parque Central. His passing is a tragic loss to the sport and the community.
