Former Uruguay striker Dario Silva has had his lower right leg amputated following a car crash, his mother said in a radio interview.
Silva suffered an exposed fracture of the leg after the accident on Montevideo's main seafront avenue on Sunday, when his pick-up truck collided with a lamp-post.
"The doctor has spoken to us and told us that they had to amputate the leg because it was a threat to his life," said Doris Pereira.
Silva is in an induced coma in the intensive care unit of a private hospital in Montevideo.
The 33-year-old played for English Premier League Portsmouth last year and was out of contract.
Silva began his career with local side Defensor Sporting and then joined more fashionable Penarol.
He moved to Europe in 1995 to play for Italy's Cagliari and has since played for Espanyol, Malaga and Sevilla in Spain as well as Portsmouth.
Silva made 49 appearances for Uruguay between 1995 and 2005, scoring 14 goals, and played at the 2002 World Cup when Uruguay were knocked out in the first round.
His last international appearance was in the World Cup qualifying play-off at home against Australia last year.
'Very few of us have any idea whatsoever of what life is like living in a goldfish bowl, except of course, for those of us who are goldfish.'
- Graham Taylor
Poor Dario Silva, this didn't deserve to happen to this great player I hope he recovers well from this and I hope he has a positive life and he stays strong.
