Antonio Puerta, Sevilla left back Antonio Puerta has died in hospital after suffering

The 22-year-old collapsed midway through the first half, and though he managed to walk off the pitch and down the tunnel, he then collapsed again and was rushed to hospital.

Doctors at the Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville, where Puerta remained in a critical condition, admitted their worries were growing due to the length of his cardiac arrest and the damaged it caused his internal organs.

The hospital released a statement on Tuesday afternoon, stating: "We regret to report that the patient Antonio Puerta died at 14:30 [13:30 BST] today. 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."

Sevilla were scheduled to take on AEK Athens in a Champions League qualifier on Tuesday evening, though the match has now been postponed.

Puerta was seen as one of the major rising stars in Spanish football after helping Sevilla to successive UEFA Cup wins in the past two seasons. He made Liga 66 appearances for the Rojiblancos, and won one cap with the Spanish national team.

Michael FitzGerald / Eurosport

first heart attack on field and the second down the tunnel

By De putamadReal

Antonio Puerta video

http://rapidshare.com/files/52899953/In_Me..._1984-2007_.wmv

http://www.sendspace.com/file/2y1i5x

http://rapidshare.com/files/53012399/In_Me..._1984-2007_.wmv

http://youtube.com/watch?v=ngr9-LXnPcc

by hanc