Royal Antwerp Youth Player Joel Lobanzo Dies at Age 17

Royal Antwerp youngster Joel Lobanzo has died aged 17 after suffering a cardiac arrest, the club have confirmed. 

The Belgian side announced the news on Thursday via their official website (h/t The Sun's Andrew Richardson).

Lobanzo suffered the cardiac arrest while training with the under-19 side on Tuesday night and was subsequently transferred to a hospital, where he remained in critical condition before being pronounced dead on Thursday.

Antwerp have offered support to Lobanzo's team-mates as well as the staff that saw the incident. Sky Sports shared their statement:

"We discovered this terrible news that Joel Lobanzo, a 17-year-old youth player from RAFC, died last night. The young football player had become a victim of sudden cardiac arrest during the training of the U19 on Tuesday night.

"The medical supervisor and trainers who were in the vicinity of the player immediately started the resuscitation, after which the MUG team transferred the player to the UZA in critical condition. The young man remained in critical condition for more than one day, but died on Thursday."

Fellow Belgian side Anderlecht offered their condolences on Twitter, as did his senior team-mate Faris Haroun:

Antwerp finished their statement with a request for Lobanzo's loved ones to be given privacy.

The club added: "A time of mourning breaks, which we want to spend in serenity. We convey our deepest feelings of compassion to Joel's family and friends."