Uruguayan soccer player Juan Izquierdo passed away on Tuesday at a hospital in Brazil, five days after he collapsed during a match in Sao Paulo. He was 27 years old.

The Albert Einstein Hospital in Sao Paulo reported that Izquierdo died at 9:38 p.m. local time due to “cardiorespiratory arrest linked to his cardiac arrhythmia.”

Izquierdo was admitted to the hospital after collapsing late in a Copa Libertadores match between Nacional and Sao Paulo at Morumbi Stadium in Brazil last Thursday.

Nacional expressed their sorrow in a social media statement, stating that Izquierdo’s death has left them “in deep pain and impact in our hearts,” and that “the entire Nacional community is mourning his irreplaceable loss.”

CONMEBOL, the governing body of South American soccer, also paid tribute, with president Alejandro Domínguez expressing his profound sadness over the untimely passing of Juan Izquierdo.

South American soccer is in a state of grief, he remarked. Other football federations, including those from Uruguay, Brazil, and Argentina, have also conveyed their sympathies.

In a statement released on Monday, medical professionals at the hospital indicated that Izquierdo had been placed in neurological critical care due to elevated intracranial pressure. He had been reliant on a ventilator since Sunday.

Reports from Uruguayan media revealed that Izquierdo's parents and executives from Nacional were present at the hospital in Sao Paulo. He was married and had two children, with his youngest son being born earlier in August.

Players from the Uruguayan national team were among those who shared their condolences.

“It’s a feeling of pain and sadness that is difficult to articulate,” said Inter Miami striker Luis Suárez. “May he rest in peace. I extend my heartfelt strength to his family and friends.”

In light of concerns regarding Izquierdo’s condition, both the first and second divisions of Uruguay’s soccer leagues were postponed last weekend. Players from Sao Paulo donned shirts in solidarity with the Uruguayan footballer prior to their 2-1 victory over Vitoria in the Brazilian league on Sunday.

The Brazilian club released a statement following the passing of Izquierdo.

“We have spent days in prayer, unity, and hope, and today we are filled with profound sorrow upon learning of Juan Izquierdo’s death,” stated the Sao Paulo club. “We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends, teammates, Nacional supporters, and the entire Uruguayan community during this time of mourning.”

Izquierdo began his professional journey in 2018 with the local team Cerro. He moved to Peñarol the next year, although his opportunities to play were limited.

“Peñarol is profoundly saddened by the loss of Juan Manuel Izquierdo. We offer our sincere condolences and stand with his family, friends, and Nacional during this incredibly painful time,” Peñarol expressed on its social media platforms.

After his tenure at Peñarol, Izquierdo transferred to Montevideo Wanderers.

His athletic prowess and precise tackles attracted the interest of Mexico’s San Luís in 2021, but he soon returned to Montevideo Wanderers. In 2022, he signed with Nacional, played one match, and was subsequently transferred to the local Liverpool club.

The defender emerged as one of Liverpool’s standout players in the campaign that culminated in a Uruguayan league title in 2023, marking the club's first championship in over a century.

Izquierdo made his return to Nacional this year, competing for a spot in the starting lineup alongside veteran Sebastián Coates, a player with experience in Uruguay’s national team. Throughout the year, he participated in 23 matches and netted one goal.

Nearly twenty years ago, defender Serginho of Sao Caetano tragically passed away just hours after collapsing at Morumbi Stadium during a Brazilian league game against Sao Paulo. Medical personnel attempted to revive him on the field while tens of thousands of spectators looked on in disbelief, and players on the sidelines expressed their grief through tears and prayers.

The unfortunate incident surrounding Serginho's death prompted Brazilian soccer officials to revise health protocols, mandating the presence of defibrillators in every stadium. A defibrillator was utilized on Izquierdo as he was being transported to the nearby Hospital Albert Einstein.

“Such sadness, 20 years later,” expressed former Sao Caetano player Anderson Lima on Instagram. “May God provide comfort to his family during this difficult time.”