Sevilla's international left-back Antonio Puerta died yesterday afternoon at the age of 22, after suffering a heart attack during his side's victory over Getafe on Saturday night.

Puerta, who had twice before been forced to pull out of matches after suffering dizzy spells, was pronounced dead at 1.30pm Spanish time and the news was made public 2½ hours later. Jose Maria Del Nido, the Sevilla president, described yesterday as "one of the saddest days in the history of the club".

Sevilla were due to play the Greek side AEK Athens in the Champions League last night but the match was postponed. Puerta's body has been transferred to a chapel at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium, where it will remain until his funeral tomorrow. The Sevilla squad will then travel to Monaco for the European Super Cup against Milan on Friday and from there to Greece for the rescheduled Champions League tie on Monday.

The season was just over half an hour old when Puerta collapsed at the Sanchez Pizjuan. Although he was revived and was able to leave the pitch, he collapsed again in the dressing room and was rushed to the Virgen del Rocio hospital. It was later revealed he had suffered "five cardio-respiratory stoppages".

Puerta's partner is expecting the couple's first child in the next six weeks. Doctors confirmed his death in a statement: "The death was caused by postanoxic encephalopathy and a multiple failure of his organs caused by the prolonged cardiac arrest that provoked his admission to hospital."