"El conmovedor mensaje de la esposa de Juan Izquierdo tras el fallecimiento del futbolista de Nacional: 'Tuve que decir adiós al amor de mi vida'."

Juan Izquierdo, a 27-year-old defender, passed away Tuesday night after spending several days hospitalized at the Albert Einstein Hospital in Brazil. His condition worsened during a match between Nacional and São Paulo in the Copa Libertadores round of 16 at Estádio Morumbi. His wife, Selena, shared a heartfelt message on his official social media accounts.

In her Instagram post, Selena expressed her sorrow and the profound impact Juan's passing had on their family. “Today I had to say goodbye to my better half, the love of my life,” she began.

“To many, he was Juan Izquierdo; to me, he was Juanma, my best friend, my husband, the father of my children, my unwavering support. A part of me dies with you today. You were a great person—kind, loving, and without malice. You were an angel on this earth and will be an angel in heaven,” she wrote. Juan and Selena had two children: a two-year-old boy and a baby born just five days before this tragic event.

“Now I have to continue for our children and find strength where there seems to be none. I know you fought until the end, and all you wanted was to be with us. I will miss you for the rest of my life, and your absence will hurt with every step. You had so much more to live for, so much more journey ahead, Juanma. From now on, I only dream of the day we reunite and I can see that smile that fills my soul,” she continued.

“Thank you to everyone who thought of him and showed their support in any way. Today, Juanma watches over me and especially our babies from heaven. I will love you for all my life, my warrior. This time we had to lose,” she concluded her poignant message.

Selena also posted a picture of the tattoo they shared: “I don’t love you with my heart because the heart stops. I love you with my soul because the soul is eternal.”

Izquierdo collapsed on the field with just seven minutes left in the match. A product of Cerro in Uruguay, he also played for Peñarol, Wanderers, Liverpool, and Atlético San Luis in Mexico before joining Nacional. He was rushed to the hospital, where he suffered a cardiac arrest in the ambulance. “The hospital immediately initiated resuscitation efforts, including defibrillation, and the patient regained spontaneous circulation,” the official medical report stated.

His health had deteriorated in recent days, showing “progressive brain issues and increased intracranial pressure.” In the final hours, his family traveled to Brazil, joined by many members of the Nacional team. Club president Alejandro Balbi was also in Brazil, along with the player’s parents, Selena, his sister-in-law, and his representatives.

Following the news of his passing, legendary Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez expressed his sorrow. Having played alongside Izquierdo during his second stint with Nacional in 2022, Suárez dedicated his recent goal for Inter Miami to him. “Pain, sadness, hard to explain. Rest in peace, and much strength to your family and friends,” he wrote on social media.