Veteran U.S. sports journalist Grant Wahl died on Friday at 48.
He collapsed in the press area while covering the quarter-final match between Argentina and Netherlands at the ongoing FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
He had complained of being ill in an episode of the podcast Futbol on December 6.
The late journalist had said:
“It had gotten pretty bad in terms of like the tightness in my chest, tightness, pressure. Feeling pretty hairy, bad.”
He also said he sought help at the medical clinic at the World Cup media centre, after he thought he had bronchitis. He had said he felt better after sleeping well and receiving some antibiotics.
Though details on the cause of his death were still unknown, tributes have been pouring in from U.S. Soccer, Lebron James, MLS commissioner Don Garber, Peter King, Marc Stein, and others on Twitter.
The American sports journalist of over two decades had covered 11 World Cups, according to his website. He has also authored several sports books.
