By Alastair Macdonald
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Belgium under-21 international Gregory Mertens died on Thursday, three days after collapsing with heart failure during a match, a spokesman for his club, Lokeren, said.
The 24-year-old defender had been in a coma since going into cardiac arrest early in a reserve team game on Monday.
Club spokesman Herman Van De Putte told Reuters that his condition continued to worsen and the player's family had agreed with doctors to switch off the life support system.
"Much too soon must we bid farewell to Gregory Mertens," the club said in a statement.