A 22-year-old footballer is in intensive care after suffering a stroke shortly after a match.
Lautaro Fagioli fell ill at home just hours after Sunday’s (31 May) game.
He was rushed to hospital, where he was diagnosed with an ischaemic stroke.
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Bruno Moroni – director of José María Cullen Hospital in Santa Fe, Argentina – said: “He is in intensive care, on a ventilator, receiving medication to support his blood pressure, and his prognosis remains uncertain.”
Lautaro plays for Colón de San Justo, who qualified for the third round of the Copa Santa Fe following Sunday’s match against Central San Carlos.
He previously played for Guadalupe in Costa Rica.
He and his partner, Sol Baroni, have a one-year-old daughter, Alfonsina.
On her first birthday in December 2025, Sol wrote online: “This little baby who lights up the whole world with every smile and laugh, and soothes my soul with every touch.”
The Santa Fe League has issued a message calling for prayers for Lautaro’s recovery, as reported by Need To Know.
It said: “Stay strong, Lauti! Everyone at Todo Liga SF is joining together in a prayer chain for the health of Lautaro Fagioli, a Colón de San Justo player who suffered an ischaemic stroke and is currently being treated at Cullen Hospital.
“Here it doesn’t matter which team you support – we can all do our bit by saying a prayer for the recovery of the Conquistador player.”
“El Conquistador” is one of Colón de San Justo’s nicknames.
Sol has also shared her own message of hope, posting an image of Alfonsina looking tenderly at a photograph of Lautaro holding her, captioned: “With all the faith in the world.”
Stroke rates in older adults have been declining, but cases in people under 55 have risen over the past 10–20 years, with around 20,000 new “young stroke” cases annually in the UK, according to a 2024 study.
Football itself is not considered a stroke risk factor. If anything, it is generally protective, as footballers tend to have lower blood pressure, healthier cholesterol levels and higher overall cardiovascular fitness.
However, elite athletes can still suffer rare strokes linked to underlying or undiagnosed medical conditions, which may only become apparent after an event.
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