Puerta, leave behind his pregnant girlfriendThe Sevilla and Spain wing-back Antonio Puerta has died aged 22 after collapsing during his side's match against Getafe on Saturday. Puerta collapsed after jogging back towards his own goal 35 minutes into the opening league game of the season at the Sánchez Pizjuán on Saturday. Team-mates and medical staff rushed to his side and were seen preventing him from swallowing his tongue as he lost consciousness.Puerta, who had passed a medical with his club three weeks ago, was able to walk from the pitch after being attended to by medical staff on Saturday, but then collapsed again in the changing rooms and was given cardiac resuscitation.
Doctors at the Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville confirmed his death. "We regret to report that the patient Antonio Puerta died at [1230 GMT] today," read a hospital statement. "The death was caused by postanoxic encephalopathy and a multiple failure of his organs caused by the prolonged cardiac arrest that provoked his admission to hospital." Puerta's body will now be taken to the Sánchez Pizjuán, where fans will be able to pay their respects before he is buried on Thursday.
The Spanish Football League issued its condolences to Puerta's family and Sevilla's supporters in a statement. "The LFP has asked all their fans to respect a one-minute silence before each game of the second round of the Primera Liga," it read. Sevilla's city rivals Real Betis also issued a statement, in which the Betis owner Manuel Ruiz de Lopera said: "This is a blow to the whole of Seville. Our thoughts are with Sevilla, with the player's family and with the player, who I am sure will be in heaven."
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 club he joined as a boy.