Trauer a Fabian O’Neill
Former Juve professional dies at the age of 49
12/25/2022, 9:33 p.m
Former soccer player Fabián O’Neill has been fighting his alcohol addiction for years. He had to be treated several times for liver diseases. Now the Uruguayan has died at the age of just 49. His former clubs say goodbye. A world star also condoles.
Former Uruguayan international and Juventus professional Fabián O’Neill is dead. He died at the age of 49, according to the Uruguayan Football Association AUF. “Our condolences go to his family and friends,” the association wrote on Twitter. “Rest in peace.”
According to a report in the newspaper “El País”, O’Neill was treated at the Médica Uruguaya hospital for chronic liver cirrhosis. He had already been treated there in 2020 for severe liver disease. According to media reports, he previously struggled with an alcohol problem for years.
O’Neill started his professional career with the Uruguayan capital club Nacional Montevideo. The club tweeted: “Goodbye Wizards.” O’Neill left his home country in 1995 at the age of 21 and moved to Italy, first to Cagliari Calcio. From there he moved to Juventus Turin in 2000, briefly to AC Perugia and in 2002 back to Cagliari before returning to Montevideo in 2003.
For the Uruguayan national team, he completed 19 international matches. “We are proud to have been able to admire your genius up close: pure, crystalline, like the most precious diamonds,” Cagliari Calcio wrote on Twitter. “Rest in peace, Fabián. You will always be one of us.”
Active players also expressed their condolences, including Luis Suárez. “May you rest in peace Fabián,” Uruguay’s all-time leading scorer tweeted. “Much strength for your family.”