Doha, Qatar - The US soccer world is in shock after pioneering American journalist Grant Wahl died Friday in Qatar while covering the 2022 World Cup. He was just 48.

Wahl died while covering the quarterfinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands, according to a statement from US Soccer. His cause of death was not immediately given.

Reports say he collapsed in his seat during extra-time and was given CPR by emergency responders before being taken away.

"The entire U.S. Soccer family is heartbroken to learn that we have lost Grant Wahl," US Soccer said in a statement. "We thank Grant for his tremendous dedication to and impact on our game in the United States. His writing and the stories he told will live on."

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Earlier in the tournament, Wahl said he was briefly detained by Qatari authorities for wearing a rainbow shirt to show support for the LGBTQ+ community. Same-sex relationships are illegal in Qatar.

Wahl became the top soccer journalist at Sports Illustrated in 2000 and became the most well-known writer on the game in the US. He left SI in 2020, but continued covering soccer worldwide on his Substack.

One of his last posts on the site was about the death of a migrant worker in Qatar during the World Cup and the indifferent reaction of Qatari authorities. He had also been complaining of feeling ill, and on the latest episode of his podcast, described a worsening tightness in his chest.

"My body finally broke down on me. Three weeks of little sleep, high stress and lots of work can do that to you," he wrote earlier this week.