Sevilla defender Antonio Puerta died in hospital Tuesday, three days after collapsing during his team's Spanish league match against Getafe, Spanish media reported.

Puerta, 22, collapsed in the first-half and medics prevented him from swallowing his tongue.

But he collapsed again in the locker room and was given cardiac resuscitation before being taken to hospital.

He was placed in intensive care and doctors said on Tuesday his condition had deteriorated before his death.

Puerta is the third high-profile footballer to die after collapsing on the field in recent years.

In January 2004 Benfica's Hungarian international striker Miklos Feher died during a Portuguese league match from a heart attack. Just seven months earlier Cameroon international Marc-Vivien Foe collapsed and died while playing in the Confederations Cup tournament in France.

Sevilla's Champions League qualifier against AEK Athens, scheduled to be played in Greece on Tuesday, was postponed to September 3 by the European football governing body UEFA.

A minute of silence will be held at the start of every Spanish league game at the weekend in tribute.

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