A youth footballer, who was wanted by Juventus, tragically died in front of his dad before training.
Diego De Vivo collapsed shortly after arriving at the academy he attended.
The session had not yet started, and he had only been on the pitch for two minutes when he lost consciousness on Wednesday (26 Mar) evening.
His coach, Gennaro Perreca, recalled to local media: “It all happened in an instant.
“He collapsed to the ground and didn’t move again.
“We immediately started CPR and used the defibrillator.”
Diego, 14, trained four times a week, plus matches on the weekend, as reported by Need To Know.
His father, who had dropped him off and regularly attended his training sessions, was among those who tried to help him.
Paramedics arrived within 11 minutes and gave him supplemental oxygen and multiple doses of adrenaline and atropine.
But despite 45 minutes of resuscitation attempts, Diego died on the pitch in Naples, Italy.
Diego attended the Cantera Napoli academy, and his life revolved around his passion for football.
He wanted to become a professional footballer and was well on his way to achieving his dream.
The directors of Cantera Napoli say he had caught the attention of major clubs and was being tracked by Italian football giants Juventus and also Genoa.
The Naples Prosecutor’s Office is investigating the young number nine’s untimely death.
It is currently believed he died from a cardiac and respiratory arrest due to natural causes.
He had no known medical conditions, had never been diagnosed with any health issues, and was in excellent shape, according to the academy.
Perreca said: “It’s like losing a son.
“He was a good, well-mannered boy who dedicated his entire life to football – from carefully managing his diet to the commitment that made him an excellent striker.”
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