Uruguayan defender Juan Izquierdo passed away at 27 years old due to "brain death following a cardiac arrest associated with an arrhythmia," according to the São Paulo hospital where he had been hospitalized for the past five days.

"The Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital regrets to announce the death of Mr. Juan Manuel Izquierdo, who passed away on Tuesday, August 27, at 9:38 PM (local time), as a result of brain death following a cardiac arrest associated with an arrhythmia," stated the latest medical bulletin.

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The Nacional player suffered an arrhythmia after coming off the bench in the second half, during the final minutes of the match between São Paulo and Nacional last Thursday at the Morumbi Stadium, in the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores.

He collapsed on the pitch, was removed from the field by ambulance, and was immediately transported to the hospital, where he arrived in "cardiac arrest" and had to be resuscitated with a defibrillator.

Since then, doctors had kept him sedated and on mechanical ventilation in an intensive care unit.

On Sunday, Izquierdo showed "progression of brain damage and an increase in intracranial pressure," although he remained under "intensive neurological care."

His condition worsened on Monday with a "critical neurological situation," and on Tuesday, he passed away in the company of his family and a delegation from the Montevideo club.

The incident has shocked Uruguay, particularly the football community, which suspended its activities last weekend and will not return to the field this coming weekend.

Top Brazilian clubs such as Flamengo, Palmeiras, Fluminense, São Paulo, Botafogo, Santos, and Internacional, among others, have also deeply mourned Izquierdo's death and expressed their condolences to fans, staff, colleagues, as well as the defender's family and friends.

Trained at Club Atlético Cerro, Izquierdo spent most of his career in Uruguay, where he also played for Liverpool, Wanderers, and Peñarol.His only experience abroad was with Atlético San Luis in Mexico.