Colombian former international midfield star Freddy Rincon (55) died on Wednesday of injuries he sustained in a traffic accident, doctors said.

Rincon suffered a severe head injury following a collision on Monday between the vehicle he was travelling in and a bus in the southwest city of Cali.

Also read: Premier League: Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola shocked by Fernandinho’s exit announcement

The former Real Madrid and Napoli ace underwent almost three hours of surgery before being transferred to intensive care, but died on Wednesday.

“His condition, taking into consideration the very serious findings in the surgery, is very serious,” Laureano Quintero, a director of Imbanaco clinic, said.

Also read: Villarreal stuns Bayern to reach Champions League semis for first time in 16 years

Rincón’s car crashed into a bus around 4:30 am in Cali, in Colombia’s southwest. He was one of five people injured, according to local authorities, who were reviewing traffic cameras.

Hamilton Ricard, also a former footballer and a close friend of Rincón’s, visited his family at the hospital and didn’t sound optimistic when he spoke to journalists outside.

Also read: Champions League: Real Madrid overcome upbeat Chelsea to storm into semis

“If he is saved, he will have a lot of side-effects,” Ricard said. “We are praying for God to put his hands on Freddy, the doctors have said the truth.”

Rincón played for Colombia in the 1990, 1994 and 1998 World Cups. He is one of the team’s iconic players during that decade, alongside Carlos Valderrama and Faustino Asprilla.

Also read: ‘Today we celebrate’: Guardiola mum on brawl between City, Atletico players

Rincón retired from the national team in 2001.

His club career began in 1985 and took off at America de Cali. After a brief and successful spell at Brazil’s Palmeiras, he joined Napoli in 1994. He played the following season for Real Madrid and returned to Palmeiras in 1997.

Also read: Emery the ‘king of cups’ says Klopp as Liverpool book date with Villarreal

Rincón also played for Brazil’s Corinthians from 1997-2000, and as the team captain was the first to lift the new FIFA Club World Cup.