RIP Antonio Puerta

Very sad. Terribly sad & shocking. Antonio Puerta, the left-back/left midfielder for Spanish club Sevilla, has died, just 3 days after collapsing on Saturday during his team's first game of the Spanish league season. Apparently, he did regain consciousness & was substituted, but later got a heart attack in the dressing room, was hospitalised where his condition later worsened before he eventually passed away. It was said that Puerta died of "multiple organ failure stemming from prolonged cardiac arrest" and subsequent coronary problems. Puerta's body will be taken to Sevilla's stadium, where fans can pay their respects before the burial.

What makes this even more sad is the fact that Puerta's wife/partner is expecting their first child. I can't imagine how she & Puerta's family, friends & his Sevilla team-mates must be feeling. It's so terrible. Someone so young, on the verge of a promising football career, taken away from us. Yet another footballer to have died prematurely after collapsing on the field. In 2003, Cameroon's Marc-Vivien Foe in 2003. I still remembered how gloomy I was when I learned of Foe's passing. Then, Hungary's Miklos Feher in 2004 - also sad & unexpected. Now, Antonio Puerta. All died prematurely from heart problems. (There may have been other footballers besides Foe & Feher who I've not specifically mentioned - can't remember them all)

It's very tragic, & a very very sad day for Sevilla, Spanish football & football in general. Even if expected, it's heartening to learn of the tributes & messages of condolences that poured in from UEFA, the Spanish Football Federation, fans & various football clubs. They include Sevilla's cross-town rivals Betis, Barcelona, Real Madrid, & also AC Milan who were due to play Sevilla in the European Super Cup on Friday (European time). That match will go ahead, & UEFA said it will be a tribute to Puerta. Sevilla's UEFA Champions League qualifying match against AEK Athens has been postponed to Monday, just a couple of days after the Super Cup game against Milan.

But well, what can I say? I don't think I need to say much; we all know how tragic this is. I did hear about Puerta's collapse on the field, but I had expected him to recover from that. I didn't expect him to go the same way as Foe & Feher. So it was a shock when I turned up to work this morning & learned about the news on the internet. It's just seems "unfair" that he had to go so early; he was only 22.

Now, I don't know much about Puerta, & I'm not a Sevilla supporter (though I do enjoy some of the football I've seen from them of late). But as a human, as a fan of Spanish football, & as one who believes in giving young football players opportunities, I mourn Puerta's death. RIP Antonio Puerta, & I pray for his friends & family & all those affected by his death. As a Christian, tragic happenings like these remind me (as it did when Foe died 4 years ago) that life is short, our time in this world is short & so we must make the most of our time here serving God, living for God's glory & prepare ourselves for life in our future destination - heaven, our permanent home.


Pics I found on the internet: