TOKYO: Former Japan international defender Naoki Matsuda died yesterday, two days after collapsing with a heart attack during training, leaving the country’s shocked football community in mourning.
His sudden death aged just 34 was announced by his club Matsumoto Yamaga of the Japan Football League, the third-tier division, where he moved this year after 16 years at J-League first-division side Yokohama Marinos. Matsuda fell into a coma after a warm-up run on Tuesday morning. He was rushed to hospital, where he was put on life support.
