A footballer has died of a heart attack on the pitch while playing a match in memory of his brother who died three years earlier.

Giuseppe Perrino, who hailed from the Italian comune of Poggiomarino in the Province of Naples, passed away at the age of 29 on 1st June.

He collapsed on the field in his hometown during a memorial match to his brother, Rocco, who died from a sudden illness at the age of 24 when he was cycling in June 2018.

Paramedics arrived promptly on the scene and tried to revive the young man. However, they were only able to pronounce the amateur footballer dead.

He was found to have died of a heart attack.

Perrino had previously played for the youth team of Parma, who currently compete in Italy’s Serie B, having been relegated from the top tier last season.

Former Parma players include the likes of Fabio Cannavaro, Gianluigi Buffon, Hernan Crespo, and Lilian Thuram.

The midfielder also represented his country in the Italy Lega Pro U-21 team, and the national under-21 C team. His club career saw him play in Italy’s third and fourth divisions.

He had worn the shirts of Parma, Sapri, Ebolitana, Bellaria, Vigor Lamezia, Battipagliese, Scafatese, Turris, Real Poggiomarino, Pimonte, and Solofra.

Parma posted on its official English-language Twitter page on 2nd June: “The thoughts of everyone at Parma Calcio 1913 go out to the Perrino family following the loss of Giuseppe.”