Juan Izquierdo

Juan Manuel Izquierdo Viana (4 July 1997 – 27 August 2024) was a Uruguayan professional footballer who played as a centre-back.

He made 111 Uruguayan Primera División appearances for Cerro, Peñarol, Montevideo Wanderers, Liverpool and Nacional, winning the league in 2022 and 2023 for the last two clubs, respectively. He also briefly played in Mexico's Liga MX for Atlético San Luis in 2021.

Izquierdo died at age 27, having collapsed due to cardiac arrhythmia during a Copa Libertadores match at São Paulo.

Career Born in Montevideo on 4 July 1997, Izquierdo was raised in the Nuevo París neighbourhood. He began playing in the youth ranks of Liverpool Montevideo, before moving to Cerro.

Izquierdo made his professional debut for Cerro on 20 February 2018, starting in a goalless draw away to Sport Rosario of Peru in the Copa Sudamericana, under manager Fernando Correa. He played 28 games in his first season and scored once in a 5–2 home win over Progresso on 25 August.

In February 2019, Izquierdo transferred to Peñarol, alongside Cerro teammate Luis Acevedo. On 30 November, he scored his only goals for the "Bohemians" in a 3–2 win away to Liverpool. His team reached the Torneo Intermedio final, losing in a penalty shootout to Nacional, and finished the league season in 5th and qualifying for the Copa Libertadores. He was signed by a Uruguayan manager, Leonel Rocca. On his return, he became a regular fixture in the team, helping them to third place in the 2021 Torneo Clausura and another continental qualification. Though his opportunities at the club were limited, he spoke of the positive impact of sharing a club with Luis Suárez, a player he had admired as a child. With the club, he competed in the Copa Libertadores for the first time. He had made a promise to his dying grandfather to win the title for the club. He became one of few players to win Uruguay's league title in consecutive years with different clubs. Uruguay's first and second division football leagues were postponed on the weekend over concerns for his health. The cause of death was "cardiorespiratory arrest associated with his cardiac arrhythmia".

Izquierdo was married and had two children, one of whom was born ten days before his death. Alejandro Domínguez, the president of CONMEBOL, also extended his condolences to Izquierdo's family and friends and said that "South American football is in mourning".

Honours Nacional Uruguayan Primera División: 2022

Liverpool Uruguayan Primera División: 2023 Supercopa Uruguaya: 2023