Thousands gathered for a public wake on Thursday to honor Uruguayan soccer participant Juan Izquierdo, the Nacional defender who died of cardiac arrest simply 5 days after collapsing throughout a Copa Libertadores match in Brazil.
Izquierdo, 27, handed away Tuesday night time at a Sao Paulo hospital following his collapse in the course of the Nacional, Sao Paulo match at Morumbi Stadium.
After a quick, personal ceremony for household on Thursday, Nacional opened its headquarters to the general public.
Football followers in Uruguayan membership shirts paid their respects, whereas gamers from Nacional and rival Penarol waited inside.
The space round Avenida 8 de Octubre within the Uruguayan capital was adorned with Nacional’s blue and pink colours. Flags, flowers, candles, letters, and drawings shaped a tribute to Izquierdo, who was married and had two younger youngsters.
“This hurts all of us Uruguayans, whether you’re a Nacional fan or not,” mentioned 17-year-old Catalina Antuna.
A Nacional supporter, Antuna attended the wake along with her buddy Juana Fleitas, a Penarol fan.
“He was a player who was always strong… a warrior who fought until the last moment,” Fleitas mentioned.
Izquierdo’s skilled profession started in 2018 at native membership Cerro. He joined Penarol the next yr however had restricted enjoying time. He moved to Montevideo Wanderers, catching the eye of Mexico’s San Luis in 2021 earlier than returning to the Wanderers.
The defender signed with Nacional in 2022, performed one match, and was then transferred to Liverpool. He was a key participant in Liverpool’s Uruguayan league title win in 2023, the membership’s first in over a century. He returned to Nacional this yr.
Five gamers from Sao Paulo FC, the membership’s deputy chairman, and 6 Brazilian followers additionally attended the ceremony.
“It happened in our house, in our stadium, and we felt it as if it were our family,” defender and group captain Rafinha, previously of Bayern Munich, instructed reporters in Montevideo.
Nacional reported that there will likely be no funeral following the general public wake.
Source: www.dailysabah.com