Former Liverpool winger Mark Gonzalez is recovering after a heart attack at the age of 36.
The Chilean winger, who also played for Real Sociedad, Real Betis and CSKA Moscow in Europe, is in hospital after falling ill and is responding to treatment.
Gonzalez's wife, Chilean TV personality Maura Rivera, announced the news on Instagram and admitted the scare it has given her over the last few days.
Rivera wrote: 'The love of my life, my soul mate, what a shock you have given me. The past few nights have been terrible. Days filled with uncertainty, it's been really frightening.
'I am writing this as you are still here with us and a little better - and because in many ways, the fact that you are still here with us, makes us cherish every moment we have together, family and above all, life itself.
'It's amazing how everything can change from one moment to the next. Life can surprise us and test us, still in fear, but with faith, strength and hope, we can come out of all of the bad moments. I want you to be with me forever, Mark.'
Gonzalez and Rivera have been together since 2008 and married in 2010. The couple have two young children, Mark Junior and Luciana.
Gonzalez joined Liverpool from Albacete in the summer of 2005 but was not granted a work permit so spent the second-half of his first season at Anfield on loan at Real Sociedad.
His only season on Merseyside saw him play 25 times for Rafael Benitez's Reds, who reached the Champions League final that season but ended up losing 2-1 to AC Milan.
The winger was then sold to Betis for £5million, scoring ten goals in 44 appearances for the Spanish side.
Gonzalez then began a five-year spell at CSKA Moscow in 2009, winning two Russian Premier Leagues and two Russia Cups before ending his career in South America with spells at Chilean sides Universidad Catolica, Colo Colo and Deportes Magallanes and Brazilian outfit Sport Recife.
He retired from playing in 2019 with 56 Chile caps to his name. Gonzalez also helped the South American country win the Copa America in 2016.