Miguel Calero, the former Colombia goalkeeper who played for more than a decade for with Mexican club Pachuca, has died of complications following a stroke. He was 41.
Pachuca said in a statement that Calero died Tuesday in a Mexico City hospital.
Calero had a stroke and was hospitalized a week ago in Mexico, where he has lived since playing with Pachuca. Calero retired as a Pachuca player in 2011 and moved to the bench as the goalkeeping coach. As a player, he helped the club to four league titles and the regional Copa Sudamericana.
Calero underwent surgery but was pronounced “brain dead” on Monday. Doctors said his condition was irreversible.
“Miguel Calero is at the center of a great era in the history of Pachuca,” the club said in a statement.
Calero played 50 times for Colombia and was a member of its 1998 World Cup team, the last time Colombia qualified for the event.
Colombian President Juan Manual Santos said his country was feeling the pain.
“It hurts every Colombian what happened to Miguel Calero,” the president wrote on his Twitter account. “Football is in mourning.”
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