Grant Wahl, pictured here with his wife Celine Gounder, died while reporting on the FIFA World Cup in Qatar ©Celine Gounder

Celine Gounder, the wife of American sports journalist Grant Wahl, who died while reporting on the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, has paid tribute to her late husband.

Wahl’s body was flown back to the United States on Monday (December 12) with an autopsy by the New York City Medical Examiner’s Office revealing that he died from a slowly growing and undetected ascending aortic aneurysm, a condition in which a tear occurs in the inner layer of the body’s main artery.

"While the world knew Grant as a great journalist, we knew him as a man who approached the world with openness and love," said Gounder.

"Grant was an incredibly empathetic, dedicated, and loving husband, brother, uncle, and son who was our greatest teammate and fan.

"We will forever cherish the gift of his life - to share his company was our greatest love and source of joy.

"Grant curated friends from all cultures and walks of life, for whom he was a generous listener, an enthusiast, a champion of others.

“To know Grant was to know a true renaissance man - he was endlessly curious about the world, and a lover of literature, art, music, food, and wine.”

Wahl, 48, collapsed while covering Argentina’s World Cup quarter-final against the Netherlands on Friday (December 9) and was carried out of the press area on a stretcher.

A portrait of Grant Wahl by his collaborator Dan Leydon ©Celine Gounder
A portrait of Grant Wahl by his collaborator Dan Leydon ©Celine Gounder

After being admitted to a local hospital he died in the early hours of the following day.

While covering the tournament, Wahl attempted to enter the stadium for the World Cup group match between the United States and Wales wearing a rainbow T-shirt.

After being detained for half an hour he was allowed into the media centre wearing the rainbow T-shirt.

After graduating from Princeton University, Wahl began his journalistic career at Sports Illustrated in 1996, before being fired from the organisation in 2020.

Gounder, a doctor and member of United States President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 Advisory Board expressed her thanks for the messages she had received following Wahl’s death.

"I want to express our deepest gratitude for the outpouring of support, love, and sympathy from around the world," Gounder said.

"This continues to be a very difficult and painful time as we grieve a beloved husband, brother, and friend.

"It is some comfort to know that so many people Grant reached - countless colleagues, readers, athletes, coaches, friends, and fans - are grieving alongside us."

A memorial service to celebrate Wahl’s life is being planned and more details are set to follow at a later date.