Benfica’s Hungarian international striker Miklos Feher died after suffering a heart attack during a league game against Vitoria Guimaraes.
Feher, 24, was stretchered off the pitch during stoppage time on Sunday. The game was stopped for 15 minutes as doctors tried to resuscitate the player. He was taken to hospital where he died at 2310 GMT.
Fausto Fernandes, the clinic director of the Hospital da Senhora da Oliveira said in a statement: “At 2145 [local time] Miklos Feher, 24, was brought into emergency care with a cardiac arrest.
“Immediately, all emergency measures were taken. This lasted until 2310, without success, when the player was pronounced dead.
“The body of the unfortunate player will stay at the hospital where it will undergo an autopsy on Monday.”
Benfica expressed their sorrow at Feher’s death.
“It’s the news that we didn’t want to have to give, but I can confirm the death of our player Miklos Feher”, Benfica’s director of communications Cunha e Vaz said.
“We are all in deep shock and would first like to address his family and send our condolences.
“All the Benfica board and supporters are mourning our
Match referee Olegario Benquerenga called it “one of the saddest matches” of his career.
“Feher fell down in front of me and I knew immediately that it was serious,” he said. .
Feher, who was capped 25 times by Hungary, began playing for Benfica of Lisbon in 2002.
It was the second death in seven months of an international footballer during a match. Last June, Cameroonian midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe died from a heart attack after collapsing while playing for his country in a Confederations Cup semi-final against Colombia.
