A TEEN footballer who died today after being injured during a match has been described as a fantastic young man.

Bacchus Marsh footballer Nathan Prince, 17, went into cardiac arrest after he was injured during a Saturday juniors match.

It’s believed the Bacchus Marsh apprentice carpenter was transferred to palliative care yesterday, but this morning died in hospital.

Club vice-president Peter Sutherland said Nathan was a popular member of the football club.

''He was just loved by absolutely everybody. He was the sort of kid you could talk to anybody,'' Mr Sutherland said on 3AW.

''He certainly crossed all aged groups and was an absolutely fantastic young man.

The distraught family of Nathan have thanked friends and supporters and in a statement today confirmed their worst nightmare.

"Nathan ... passed away early this morning, peacefully and with his family beside him," the family said.

"The Prince family would like to thank everyone for all their prayers and messages of support during this time.

"They would also like to thank all the staff at Ballarat Health Services for their wonderful care and support of Nathan and the family."

Father Ian Prince told the Herald Sun last week the family did not blame the other player.

Nathan was injured during the qualifying final against North Ballarat City on August 20.

He had remained in a serious condition ever since collapsing.

Friends of the apprentice carpenter are flooding a Facebook page called "Nathan Prince – toughest footballer ever", set up in the hours after the game.

"Everybody is greatly shocked about the loss of a great friend," Justine Harris writes.

"It wasn't fair that a good man got taken away at an age that is so young. They say only the great die young in this case that's you you'll be miss great from a huge amount of people, who new (sic) that yoy (sic) were such a wonderful person."

Charrise Daly said Nathan was courageous and brave.

"Nathan was, in every sense of the word, a true warrior," she writes.

Originally published as Team, family mourn 'fantastic young man'