RIO DE JANEIRO, November 27 -- Brazilian soccer player Alex Pereira, 29, died on Sunday during an unofficial soccer match in Avare, a town in the state of San Paulo, local press said on Monday.

Pereira, who played for Brazil league team America, collapsed on the field during an amateur match with the Vila Martins team, and died before reaching hospital. His aunt, 50, also suffered a fatal heart attack on hearing the news.

It is the second such tragedy in two years. In October 2004, Sae Caetano player Serginho suffered a heart attack during a match against Sao Paulo and died on the way to hospital.