Fabian O’Neill, a former Uruguayan international midfielder passed away. Let’s see How did Fabian O’Neill die and Fabian O’Neill cause of death in detail.
How did Fabian O’Neill die?
Fabian O’Neill, a former Uruguayan international midfielder who Zinedine Zidane reportedly referred to as “the most talented player” he had ever seen, passed away on Sunday following a protracted battle with alcoholism. He was 49.
After O’Neill passed away from severe cirrhosis at a Montevideo hospital where he had been transported on Saturday owing to a hemorrhage, his early club Nacional tweeted,
“Goodbye Wizard.”
Lamentamos informar el fallecimiento de Fabián O’Neill.
Surgido en la cantera inagotable y campeón uruguayo con nuestra camiseta.Hoy todo Nacional está de luto. A su familia y amigos, nuestras más sinceras condolencias.
¡Hasta siempre Mago! pic.twitter.com/vlbFbpDn5O
— Nacional (@Nacional) December 25, 2022
The uruguayan football federation also shared the devastating news on twitter.
Lamentamos con profunda tristeza y conmoción el fallecimiento del ex jugador de la Selección Uruguaya, Fabián O'Neill.
Nuestras condolencias a sus familiares y amigos.
Q.E.P.D. pic.twitter.com/KoQqfBBAUG
— AUF (@AUFOficial) December 25, 2022
Fabian O’Neill cause of death
Fabian O’Neill cause of death was chronic liver disease.
O’Neill was admitted to the hospital in June 2020 for cirrhosis. He was told that if he didn’t drink for a year, he might be able to have a liver transplant and live a long time.
O’Neill passed away on December 25, 2022, in a hospital in Montevideo, where he had been receiving critical care owing to bleeding from a chronic liver condition.
El Club Atlético Peñarol lamenta el fallecimiento de Fabián O’Neill. Acompañamos a familiares y amigos en este difícil momento. pic.twitter.com/oE9F0TlATC
— PEÑAROL (@OficialCAP) December 25, 2022
Fabian O’Neill cause of death has left the community inconsolable.
Who was Fabian O’Neill?
Fabián Alberto O’Neill Domínguez was a Uruguayan professional footballer who played as a midfielder.
Between 1992 and 1995, O’Neill played for Nacional’s first squad in the Uruguayan Primera División. This was the start of his professional career.
Career
At the age of 18, his squad won the league during his rookie season. He joined Serie A team Cagliari in 1996 and later relocated to Italy. He was one of many Uruguayans to sign with the team through agent Paco Casal.
The team was demoted to Serie B in 1997 but was then promoted once again in 1998. Gennaro Gattuso was the target of three nutmegs from him in 1999 during a match against Salernitana.
Club Career
O’Neill was transferred to Juventus for a cost of 20 billion lire (€10 million) when Cagliari was demoted once more in 2000. He relocated to Perugia in January 2002 as part of the Davide Baiocco to Juventus trade.
He ended his contract in the summer to return to Cagliari, which is currently playing in Serie B, even if he didn’t play during his brief tenure. O’Neill acknowledged fixing two Serie A games in 2012 to win bets.
O’Neill returned to Nacional in January 2003, although he only played five matches.
Due to the repercussions of his drunkenness, he retired later that year at the age of 29 and went back to his cattle ranch.
Later, he managed and played semi-pro football in Uruguay’s lower divisions.
Que bueno era Fabian O'Neill. Jugador de culto. DEP pic.twitter.com/bsExvKcKP9
— Toni Padilla (@Toni_Padilla) December 25, 2022
International career
19 games were played by O’Neill for Uruguay. On June 16, 1993, he participated in his debut national team game, a 1-0 victory over the United States in a Copa América group encounter.
With seven minutes left, he replaced Adrián Paz as a replacement, however, due to an injury, he was unable to continue in the competition.
His 19th and last cap came against China in Shenyang in May 2002.
At the FIFA World Cup in 2002, he was a member of the Uruguayan team but did not participate.
In ricordo di Fabian O’Neill 🤍🖤
— JuventusFC (@juventusfc) December 25, 2022
His Autobiography
O’Neill published his autobiography, Hasta la ltima Gota, in 2013. (Until the Last Drop). After having his gallbladder removed in June 2016, he was instructed to stop drinking for three years, but he started again a month later.
“When I played football I came to have 15 million dollars in the bank, I spent it on women and alcohol, but I also filled the table with food for people who needed it, today that I am poor, I come across with those people who help and they don’t even greet me”.
He claimed in February 2017 that he spent $14 million of his riches on “slow horses, fast women, and gambling,” but he did not regret going broke. He said in his autobiography that he once visited a cattle auction while intoxicated and spent $250,000 on 1,104 cows.
Tributes to Fabian O’Neill
Many people expressed their profound sympathies to his family and expressed how much they loved him. The news of this occurrence has upset his supporters and fans.
Falleció Fabián O'Neill. Muy joven a los 49 años.
Talentoso como pocos. Dueño de una técnica y una pegada genial. El "Mago" fue especial en su juego.
Estaba internado en CTI desde ayer.
Abrazo enorme a sus hijos, toda su familia y amigos.pic.twitter.com/aJiqFvNtX2
— BUYSAN (@Buysan) December 25, 2022
Dieogo Gonzalaz tweeted,
“The death of Fabian O’Neill makes me very sad, may he rest in peace. The suffering of an alcoholic is known to those of us who were close to him, it is difficult to accompany, it is a terrible disease, often resisted by the patient, and even celebrated by those around him.”
Ro tweeted,
“When the cracks lose their hand they usually end up alone. Without mental health and much less physical. Now the “friends” appear. Huge sadness for his departure.”
La Lega Serie A lamenta el fallecimiento del exfutbolista uruguayo Fabián O'Neill. Que descanse en paz. 🙏 pic.twitter.com/jCq5lv2fXm
— Lega Serie A (@SerieA_ES) December 25, 2022
Alberto Kesman tweeted,
“Sadness! Fabián O’Neill passed away Pure football quality and a human being who always had exceptional treatment with all of us who knew him. A pity because he deserved to stay longer in this life but maybe he chose this and enjoyed it or not but in his own way. He will always be remembered RIP”
One of the worst things anyone can go through in life is losing a loved one. Any journey must have a destination at the end. The person’s time on earth has regrettably come to an end now that they have died.
We wish him eternal peace and send our thoughts and prayers to his loved ones, family, friends. May he rest in peace.
KEEP READING,
Jehovah’s Witnesses Hall shooting: What happened? Why the man shot his wife before killing himself?
How did Dax Tejera die? ABC news ‘This week’ producer cause of death explained
Follow us on Twitter for more updates.
Rohini (Editor) is a content writer with 3 years of experience in content writing. She joined Medico Topics on the Breaking News trainee scheme in 2022 and now works on MedicoTopics.com. She possesses a keen interest in political and entertainment matters, including the latest and most widely circulating celebrity rumors, and comprehensive resources on the wealth of renowned actors, athletes, players, and politicians around the globe.
Coverage: Obituary, Crime, Missing, Entertainment