Key Takeaways
- Juan and his wife, Selena, share two kids.
- Juan collapsed in the 84th minute of a Copa Libertadores match on August 22, 2024.
- At the hospital, he was put on a ventilator and experienced brain damage and increased intracranial pressure.
Uruguayan footballer Juan Izquierdo, who collapsed during a game in Sao Paulo and passed away on August 27, 2024, from cardiorespiratory arrest, was the father of two children with his wife, Selena.
Just ten days before his passing, he enjoyed a happy moment, celebrating his second child’s birth with his wife on August 18, 2024.
Along with their newborn, Juan and Selena also have a two-year-old daughter born in 2022.
On August 24, 2024, Selena took to her husband’s social media to request prayers for him. She wrote:
Hello, I am Selena, Juanma’s wife. Please pray for him, send strength and good energy. Juanma needs us; I know he is very loved and we are all hoping he gets through this moment. At home, his two-year-old daughter and eight-day-old son are waiting for him. He has so much more to live. Please pray for him.
Selena, Juan Izquierdo’s wife, maintains a low profile, and not much is known about her, suggesting she has been dedicated to raising their kids.
Following his passing, Juan left his wife, Selena, and their two children behind. As his steadfast wife, Selena now confronts the challenge of maintaining their family life without him.
What Happened On The Field?
Uruguayan defender Juan Izquierdo passed away at the age of 27, five days after collapsing on the field during a game in Brazil.
On Thursday, August 22, 2024, Izquierdo collapsed while playing in a Copa Libertadores match for Nacional against São Paulo.
Juan came on as a half-time substitute for former Liverpool defender Sebastian Coates during his team’s game against São Paulo.
In the 84th minute, he collapsed without any interaction with other players at the time.
At the Morumbi stadium, players from both teams appeared shocked and distressed as Izquierdo was taken away in an ambulance and rushed to the hospital.
The club, Nacional, reported that at Albert Einstein Israelite Hospital, Izquierdo was admitted to intensive care and put on a ventilator, with the incident also affecting his brain.
In an earlier update, the hospital noted that Izquierdo had shown “a progression of his brain damage and an increase of intracranial pressure,” both of which doctors consider to be life-threatening conditions.
On Tuesday, August 27, 2024, Juan d*ed, and Hospital Albert Einstein stated he had suffered “cardiorespiratory arrest associated with his cardiac arrhythmia.”
In a further update, Juan’s club, Nacional, confirmed his demise in a post on X, saying:
It is with deepest pain and shock in our hearts that Club Nacional de Football announces the passing of our beloved player Juan Izquierdo. We express our sincere condolences to his family, friends, colleagues and loved ones. All of Nacional is mourning his irreparable loss. RIP. Juan, you will be with us forever.
Con el más profundo dolor e impacto en nuestros corazones, el Club Nacional de Football comunica el fallecimiento de nuestro querido jugador Juan Izquierdo.
— Nacional (@Nacional) August 28, 2024
Expresamos nuestras más sinceras condolencias a su familia, amigos, colegas y allegados.
Todo Nacional está de luto por… pic.twitter.com/mYU28mqw6m
In response to the post, Fluminense F.C made a comment:
Our condolences to everyone at Nacional. All of South American football is in mourning.
Uruguayan football manager Diego Forlán also made a comment:
What a sadness. My deepest condolences to his family 🙏🏼
Izquierdo was in his second stint with Nacional, having assisted them in winning their first league title in over a century in 2023.
Izquierdo began his professional career in 2018 and has played for Cerro, Peñarol, Montevideo Wanderers, Liverpool (Montevideo), and Nacional.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Born on July 4, 1997, Juan Izquierdo comes from Montevideo, Uruguay.
- At one stage, he stepped away from football to work as a bricklayer with his father until a friend helped him return to the sport and brought him to Mount.
- He made his initial international move in February 2021 by joining Atlético San Luis in the Mexican Liga MX.
