U.S. soccer journalist Grant Wahl dies at 48 in Qatar

LUSAIL, Qatar -- Grant Wahl, 1 of the astir well-known shot writers successful the United States, died aboriginal Saturday portion covering the World Cup lucifer betwixt Argentina and the Netherlands. He was 48.

U.S. media seated adjacent him said Wahl was stricken portion successful the media tribute astatine Lusail Iconic Stadium during other clip and could not beryllium revived. Wahl was covering his eighth World Cup.

He wrote Monday that helium had visited a infirmary portion successful Qatar.

"My assemblage yet broke down connected me. Three weeks of small sleep, precocious accent and tons of enactment tin bash that to you,'' Wahl wrote. "What had been a acold implicit the past 10 days turned into thing much terrible connected the nighttime of the USA-Netherlands game, and I could consciousness my precocious thorax instrumentality connected a caller level of unit and discomfort. I didn't person Covid (I trial regularly here), but I went into the aesculapian session astatine the main media halfway today, and they said I astir apt person bronchitis. They gave maine a people of antibiotics and immoderate heavy-duty cough syrup, and I'm already feeling a spot amended conscionable a fewer hours later. But still: No bueno.''

U.S. Soccer released a connection Friday night, saying they were "heartbroken" to larn of Wahl's death.

U.S. Soccer Statement On The Passing Of Grant Wahl: pic.twitter.com/CBp1mCK1mQ

Wahl wrote that helium had been among 82 journalists honored by FIFA and the planetary sports property relation AIPS for attending 8 oregon much World Cups.

A 1996 postgraduate of Princeton, Wahl worked for Sports Illustrated from 1996 to 2021, known chiefly for his sum of shot and assemblage basketball.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.