Belgium under-21 international Gregory Mertens died on Thursday, three days after collapsing with heart failure during a match, a spokesman for his club, Lokeren, said.
The 24-year-old defender had been in a coma since going into cardiac arrest early in a reserve team game on Monday.
Club spokesman Herman Van De Putte told Reuters that his condition continued to worsen and the player’s family had agreed with doctors to switch off the life support system.
“Much too soon must we bid farewell to Gregory Mertens,” the club said in a statement. “We are a football club. Everyone in and around the club breathes football. But suddenly something happens where we realise football is just football.
“Today is such a time ... The medical team did all they could to save Gregory but in the end had to recognise their impotence. Gregory passed away today about 4:30 PM (1430 GMT).
“His family were able to say their farewells.”
Mertens, who joined top-flight Lokeren last summer after nearly 100 appearances for Cercle Bruges, collapsed 15 minutes into the game at Racing Genk and despite lengthy efforts to bring him round doctors quickly said his survival needed a “miracle”.