Antonio Puerta

Sevilla legend who died tragically young

Last updated 9 October 2026

Antonio José Puerta Pérez (26 November 1984 – 28 August 2007) was a Spanish professional footballer who played solely for Sevilla. Mainly a left midfielder who could also operate as an attacking left-back, he died on 28 August 2007 affected with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy, three days after suffering a series of cardiac arrests during a La Liga game against Getafe on the 25th. Puerta won five trophies with his only club, and appeared once for Spain.

Quick Facts

Full name: Antonio José Puerta Pérez
Born: 26 November 1984
Birthplace: Seville, Spain
Died: 28 August 2007
Height: 1.83 m / 6 ft
Position: Wing-back
Total caps: 124
Total goals: 11

Lore & Background

Born in Seville, Andalusia, Puerta joined Sevilla as a boy and spent a total of 14 years at the club, growing up at its acclaimed youth system alongside other players such as Alejandro Alfaro, Kepa Blanco, Jesús Navas, Sergio Ramos and José Antonio Reyes. His La Liga debut came on 21 March 2004, as he played 71 minutes in a 0–1 home defeat against neighbours Málaga. Promoted to the first team for the 2005–06 season, Puerta became intimately connected to Sevilla's history on 27 April 2006, when he scored against Schalke 04 in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup: in the final moments of the match, he received a long ball and struck it with his left foot for the 1–0 final (and aggregate) win; they went on to collect five titles in fifteen months, with Puerta scoring his penalty shootout attempt in the 2007 UEFA Cup final, against compatriots Espanyol. His impressive performances earned him international recognition and reported interest from Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid, but all bids were rejected.

Reader's Guide

On 25 August 2007, Puerta collapsed and lost consciousness in the penalty area due to a cardiac arrest during Sevilla's first La Liga fixture of the 2007–08 campaign at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium against Getafe. He was seen crouching and then subsequently collapsing upon moving back to his team's goal after only 35 minutes of the game had passed, as teammates Ivica Dragutinović and Andrés Palop immediately ran to his side as he lost consciousness; moments later, club medical staff and other players followed suit. After recovering and being substituted, Puerta was able to walk to the dressing room, where he collapsed once again. He was resuscitated by the doctors and taken, by ambulance, to the intensive care unit of Virgen del Rocío hospital, where he received cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Puerta died on 28 August 2007, at 14:30. Doctor Francisco Murillo reported that he had suffered multiple organ failure and irreversible brain damage as a result of multiple prolonged cardiac arrests due to an incurable, hereditary heart disease known as arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy. Puerta's girlfriend was expecting their first child at the time of his death. As a mark of respect, players from both Sevilla and city rivals Real Betis attended his funeral days after his death and, subsequently, FIFA ordered the installation of resuscitation rooms in every stadium that hosted the World Cup qualifiers.

Did You Know?

Ramos wore T-shirts in memory of Puerta after Spain won UEFA Euro 2008 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, with Navas doing the same on the latter occasion.
Puerta was capped once by the Spain national side, playing against Sweden on 7 October 2006.