Sevilla midfielder Antonio Puerta died today, three days after collapsing during a Primera Liga match against Getafe.

The 22-year-old Spanish international was in a critical state in the Virgen del Rocio hospital in Seville since being admitted on Saturday.

"We regret to report that the patient Antonio Puerta died at 1430 (1230 GMT) today. 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," the hospital said in a statement.

Puerta collapsed after jogging back towards his own goal 35 minutes into the club's first game of the new Spanish season.

Team mates and medical staff rushed to his side and were seen preventing him from swallowing his tongue as he lost consciousness.

He was able to walk from the pitch but doctors said he collapsed again in the changing rooms and had to be given cardiac resuscitation before being taken to hospital.

Sevilla said that Puerta's body would be taken to the club's Sanchez Pizjuan stadium where fans could pay their respects and that the player would be buried on Thursday.

"This is an extremely difficult moment for all of us and  I hope I'll be able to speak about this later, but at the moment I am unable to," tearful Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido said.

The player was due to become a father for the first time in six weeks.

Tonight's Champions League third round qualifier between AEK Athens and Sevilla has been postponed.

Puerta was a product of Sevilla's impressive youth system breaking into the side in the 2004-5 season, before becoming a regular the following year as a versatile left sided player who could play as a wing back or midfielder.

He was fondly remembered by Sevilla fans for the spectacular goal he scored against Schalke 04 that qualified them for the Uefa Cup final for the first time in April 2006.

He was part of the team that went on to retain the UEFA Cup last season and win the King's Cup. He had won one cap for Spain.