MLS player Marco Angulo dies at the age of 22, a month after a car accident

On By Pranco

Marco Angulo, a midfielder who played for FC Cincinnati, has died at the age of 22 after succumbing to injuries sustained in a car accident last month.

The Cincinnati MLS team announced that Angulo had died a day earlier in a statement shared on Tuesday, November 12. “We are heartbroken to share that Marco Angulo has passed away at the age of 22,” the club said, adding: “May he rest in peace.”

According to Ecuadorian outlet El UniversoAngulo suffered injuries to his head and lungs on Oct. 7 when he and four other people traveling in a Ford Explorer crashed into a metal structure.

The crash also claimed the life of Roberto Cabezas, an Ecuadorian footballer for the club Independiente Juniors.

Marco Angulo poses for photos during a photo session with Independiente del Valle on January 20, 2022.

Franklin Jacome/Agencia Press South/Getty


Angulo played his last match on October 6, just one day before the fatal accident in Ecuador.

In the weeks after the accident, Angulo remained in intensive care where he underwent multiple surgeries, including a “decompressive craniectomy” to reduce pressure in his head, and the placement of a chest tube, according to El Universo.

In Quito’s LDU tributeAccording to the club, Angulo’s death is “an irreparable loss that will leave an indelible mark on our hearts.”

The club also held a special moment for Angulo on Tuesday, sharing a video on Instagram of players holding up a tribute banner for their late teammate. “You will always remain in our hearts, dear friend,” the club wrote video.

Never miss a story – sign up PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Major League Soccer has one statement The league announced the midfielder’s death on Tuesday, saying the league “mourns the tragic passing of Marco Angulo.”

The tribute describes Angulo – who was on loan at Ecuadorian club LDU Quito when the fatal crash occurred – as a ‘talented young midfielder’ who will be ‘dearly missed’. The MLS extended its condolences to Angulo’s family, including his wife and son.