Marco Angulo, rising soccer star who played in MLS, dead at 22

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Marco Angulo, a rising Ecuadorian soccer star who played in Major League Soccer for FC Cincinnati, has died from injuries sustained in a car crash, officials said Tuesday. He was 22.

Angulo was a passenger in a vehicle with his former youth soccer teammate Roberto Cabezas when the car crashed into a metal barrier on a highway near Quito last month. The driver, Cabezas and Angulo all died in the crash.

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FC Cincinnati midfielder Marco Angulo, #8, and defender Yerson Mosquera, #15, celebrate after winning a MLS Cup Eastern Conference Semifinal match against the Philadelphia Union at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on Nov. 25, 2023. (Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports)

The young player suffered serious head injuries and a lung contusion and was placed in a coma. He died Monday night, El Universo reported.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of Marco—a husband and father, a brother and son, a friend and teammate,” FC Cincinnati said in a statement Tuesday. 

“He was a joyful, kind young man who lit up every room he entered. Our entire club grieves this tragedy, and we are thinking of and praying for his family. He was a cherished member of the FC Cincinnati family, and he will be missed.”

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FC Cincinnati midfielder Marco Angulo, #8, and D.C. United midfielder Lewis O’Brien, #17, battle for the ball in the second half at Audi Field in Washington, D.C., on June 24, 2023. (Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)

Angulo was playing for LDU de Quito on loan from Cincinnati.

Angulo “defended the colors of our country at every opportunity he had with his talent and dedication,” the Ecuadorian Football Association said in a statement. “Marco was not only an outstanding player, but a great teammate. He leaves a deep pain in our hearts.”

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FC Cincinnati midfielder Marco Angulo, #8, runs on the field against the New England Revolution in the first half at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on July 1, 2023. (Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)

He played in 24 matches for Cincinnati as the club finished in first place in the Eastern Conference during the 2023 regular season.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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