Grant Wahl: Fifa pays tribute to American football writer ahead of World Cup game
American football writer Grant Wahl was honored with a tribute from Fifa at the media office for England v France, where he was due to work on Saturday night.
The American died at the World Cup in the early hours of Saturday after covering for the Netherlands against Argentina.
And Fifa placed a bouquet of white lilies and a framed photograph of Wahl, taken in Qatar, with tributes from around the world for the 48-year-old journalist.
“Tonight we pay tribute to Grant Wahl in his assigned seat at Al Bayt Stadium. He should have been here,” Fifa said in a statement.
“Our hearts go out to his wife Céline, his family and his friends at this most difficult time.”
The LED panel displays a photo of Grant Wahl, an American sports journalist who died while reporting on the match between Argentina and the Netherlands
(Getty Pictures)
Wahl fell ill while working during extra time in the quarter-final between the Netherlands and Argentina on Friday at the Lusail stadium.
He was treated by medical staff in the media gallery and then taken by ambulance to hospital.
He was reporting at his eighth World Cup.
AP contributed to this report.
Flowers are placed in memory of Grant Wahl, an American sports journalist who died while reporting on the match between Argentina and the Netherlands
(Getty Pictures)
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