Mother of Higuain brothers dies of cancer at 64, days after siblings made MLS history
Nancy Zacarias, the mother of Inter Miami players Gonzalo and Federico Higuain, died on Monday at age 64 after a five-year battle with cancer. The brothers, who had just made MLS history in Philadelphia on Saturday, flew to Argentina to be with their family.
Less than 48 hours before her death the siblings became the first brothers in league history to score in the same game when each notched a goal in a 2-1 road win against the Philadelphia Union.
After the game, Federico dedicated the performance to his parents, especially his mother.
The team released a statement that read: “The Inter Miami family is saddened to hear of the passing of Gonzalo and Federico Higuain’s beloved mother, Nancy Zacarias. Our deepest condolences go out to our players and their entire family during this difficult time. We give the Hugains our full support as they cope with this loss.”
Zacarias was married to Jorge Higuain, a former Argentine defender who played the Argentine league and spent a season playing in France, where Gonzalo was born. Her father, Santos Zacarias, was a boxing legend and trainer.
Last March, when the pandemic shut down soccer leagues around the world, Gonzalo got permission from Italian club Juventus to travel to Argentina to be with his ailing mother.
This story was originally published April 27, 2021 at 8:30 AM.