Antonio Puerta, 1984-2007
Antonio Puerta, 1984-2007
SEVILLE, Spain (Ticker) - Sevilla defender Antonio Puerta died Tuesday. He was 22.
The Spain international collapsed on the field after suffering a cardiac arrest during Saturday’s Primera Liga game against Getafe.
Puerta was able to walk off but suffered a relapse in the dressing room and required cardiac resuscitation. He was rushed to the Hospital Virgen del Rocio in Seville but passed away on Tuesday.
Puerta, whose girlfriend is pregnant, had been a member of the Sevilla first team for three seasons and spent 14 years in total with the Andalusian club he joined as a boy. He was capped by Spain in October.
A statement from Dr. Francisco Murillo, head of intensive care at the hospital, confirmed the death.
“We regret to announce that the patient Antonio Puerta died at 14.30 (local time) as a consequence of postpanoxic encephalopathy and multiorganic dysfunction provoked by the cardiac arrest,” Murillo in a statement.
A sad day for all soccer fans.
–WKW