Shock as Union Cordillera senior goalkeeper dies following mid-game heart attack

Shock as Union Cordillera senior goalkeeper dies following mid-game heart attack in Pisco Elqui, Chile

Shock as Union Cordillera senior goalkeeper dies following mid-game heart attack in Pisco Elqui, Chile. Image: Francisco Urrutia Flores/Facebook

HEARTBREAKING news making the rounds on Monday, August 8 has revealed that an amateur goalkeeper playing from Chilian side Union Cordillera’s senior team died after suffering a mid-game heart attack.

Cristian Cáceres, a 38-year-old goalkeeper who played for the Union Cordillera de Chapilcha senior team, suffered a heart attack during his side’s game on Saturday, August 6.

Emergency services were called but the player tragically died on the way to the hospital, as reported by Diario el Dia.

Tributes flooded social media for the player.

“Unfortunately we have to report that our Union Cordillera family is going through a very sad time, there are no words to describe how painful this moment is,” one person wrote on Facebook.

“One day you ‘say you want to leave this world doing what you like’, I think football says that for my friend.

“I do not know how to cope with the loss of a fellow Cristian Cáceres. You leave an empty spot, unfortunately, you had to leave this world defending our colours, condolences to the family and rest in peace, my friend.”

Another wrote on Facebook: “Such a painful departure marked us a lot of strength to all his Family Friends and his Club Union Cordillera.”

“Sad news, player of Union Cordillera, Chapilca, Cristian Caceres 38, died of a heart attack in the town of Pisco Elqui. The player was the team’s goalkeeper.”

One person said: “Strength and my condolences to the family in this hard time for them…. Cristian rest in peace old man give strength to your family and those who knew you!!”

“My deepest condolences to the family, what unfortunate news as he was a great colleague, may God have him in his holy kingdom and give a lot of strength and strength to the family in this terrible moment, it really hurts his departure,” another wrote.

Another on Twitter wrote: “In a match played on the pitch of the Pisco Elqui sports complex, a player from the Unión Cordillera de Chapilca senior team suffered a heart attack in the second half, for which the match was suspended, unfortunately he died on the way to the care facility.”

The news comes a few months after the death of another footballer following a heart attack.

Fabricio Navarro, a young footballer from Argentinian club Atlético Tucumán, died of a heart attack on Wednesday, June 15.

The death of Cristian Cáceres and Fabricio Navarro follows a spate of sudden-death heart attacks that have struck numerous footballers over the past year.

On December 22, Oman international Mukhaled Al-Raqadi died aged 29 after he collapsed during the warm-up before his side’s Omantel League game following a heart attack.

Marin Cacic collapsed during a training session and was rushed to hospital where he was placed into a coma before he later died aged 23 after suffering a heart attack.

On Monday, January 3, 25-year-old Marcos Menaldo died after collapsing at the end of a training session for his club, Deportivo Marquense of Guatemala.

Another professional football player from Oman, Munther Al-Harassi, 30, who played for Al Rustaq FC, died following a heart attack in training on Saturday, January 22.

On February 2, 21-year-old Greek footballer Alexandros Lampis suffered a cardiac arrest and collapsed 5 minutes into the game as his side Ilioupoli faced off against A.E. Ermoinida in the Gamma Ethniki league.

The stadium had no defibrillator on-site and an ambulance took 20 minutes to arrive. Sadly, by the time they tried to resuscitate him on the pitch, it was too late and he was pronounced dead at the scene.

On Sunday, March 20, 22-year-old Michel Almanza collapsed on the pitch after he suffered a heart attack in the middle of the game between the club Decano Carolino and Jamaica in Maldonado, Uruguay.

Promising young footballer Debojyoti Ghosh died of a heart attack during a game on Saturday, March 19.

25-year-old Ghosh, who was seen as a promising central midfielder, was playing a tournament match between Nababdwip Sevak Samity and Krishnanagar Central at Dhubulia Belpukur Ground in West Bengal, India when he collapsed unconscious on the pitch after the ball struck his chest towards the end of the game.


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Written by

Matthew Roscoe

Originally from the UK, Matthew is based on the Costa Blanca and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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