Grant Wahl, renowned soccer journalist, dies at Qatar World Cup - CBS News

Renowned shot writer Grant Wahl has died, the U.S. Soccer Federation reported Friday. Wahl, 48, was successful Qatar covering the World Cup erstwhile helium passed away.

Wahl's agent, Tim Scanlan, said that the writer "appeared to person suffered immoderate benignant of acute distress successful the property room" of the stadium during the quarterfinal match betwixt Argentina and the Netherlands, erstwhile the 2 teams began playing successful other time. Paramedics were called to the scene, Scanlan said, but were incapable to revive him. 

Qatari officials said successful a connection that Wahl "received contiguous aesculapian attraction connected site, which continued arsenic helium was transferred by ambulance to Hamad General Hospital." The nonstop origin of decease is not yet known. 

Wahl had been tweeting during the match, which was portion of the eighth World Cup helium had covered.    

• Tributes determination successful to shot writer Grant Wahl aft his decease astatine World Cup

"The full U.S. shot household is heartbroken to larn that we person mislaid Grant Wahl," the U.S. Soccer Federation said successful a statement Friday night. "Fans of shot and journalism of the highest prime knew we could ever number connected Grant to present insightful and entertaining stories astir our game, and its large protagonists."

FILE -- Grant Wahl speaks connected a sheet treatment astatine the Kicking + Screening Soccer Film Festival New York connected April 8, 2014 successful New York City.  Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

Wahl spoke astir his wellness connected his Spotify podcast Thursday, saying that helium had contracted bronchitis portion covering the World Cup. 

"I took immoderate clip disconnected present myself," Wahl told listeners. "We had 2 days disconnected present without games. Seventeen consecutive days of games and my body, I think, told me, adjacent erstwhile the U.S. went out, 'Dude, you are not sleeping enough,' and it rebelled connected me. So I've had a lawsuit of bronchitis this week. I've been to the aesculapian halfway astatine the session doubly now, including today. I americium feeling amended today. I fundamentally cancelled everything connected this Thursday that I had, and I napped, and I americium doing somewhat better. You tin astir apt archer by my dependable that I americium not doing 100% here." 

Scanlan told CBS News that Wahl had an "aggressive schedule" portion successful Qatar. 

"I asked, 'Was it excessively much?' and helium said no, this is what helium lived for, and helium loved the World Cup," Scanlan said, referencing a speech connected Dec. 3, astir a week earlier Wahl's death. "He had conscionable been recognized for his eighth World Cup. He had turned 48 yesterday. He was a noted cook and loved to entertain. Twenty bully friends that came to his flat past nighttime to celebrate." 

A prolific journalist, Wahl wrote for aggregate outlets and was a CBS Sports contributor. He was an expert connected CBS Sports HQ passim the Qatar World Cup, and wrote impermanent columns focused connected the U.S. men's nationalist squad for CBS Sports. He was besides an editorial advisor for shot documentaries connected Paramount+. 

Wahl was besides joined to Dr. Celine Gounder, a CBS News aesculapian contributor. Gounder tweeted that she was "in implicit shock" and thanked Wahl's "soccer family" and their friends for their enactment arsenic the quality was reported. 

Ned Price, a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department, said that the bureau was successful connection with officials successful Qatar. 

"We were profoundly saddened to larn of the decease of Grant Wahl and nonstop our condolences to his family, with whom we person been successful adjacent communication," Price tweeted. "We are engaged with elder Qatari officials to spot to it that his family's wishes are fulfilled arsenic expeditiously arsenic possible."

Major League Soccer commissioner Don Garber tweeted: "We are shocked, saddened and heartbroken implicit the tragic passing of Grant Wahl. He was a benignant and caring idiosyncratic whose passionateness for shot and dedication to journalism were immeasurable."  

In:
• Qatar
• World Cup
• Soccer