Uruguay star Maximiliano Araujo is stretchered off with his neck in a BRACE after scary clash of heads left teammates begging for medical help

Uruguay soccer star Maximiliano Araujo was rushed off the field with his neck in a brace after a scary clash of heads during their Copa America game against the USA.

With 23 minutes on the clock, the left-winger tried to attack a corner but inadvertently clashed heads with the USA's Tim Ream, leaving both players crumpled in a heap on the turf.

Araujo, though, came off worse, and his Uruguay teammates were quickly screaming for medical assistance, while the player laid strewn on the field.

Medical staff were quickly on the scene, while players continued to call for a stretcher and more assistance for their struggling teammate.

After around five minutes of medical attention on the pitch, the 24-year-old was carefully lifted onto a stretcher in a neck brace, before being carried off - all while a doctor held his neck in place.

It is as yet unclear how serious Araujo's injury was, but he could be seen moving his extremities as he left the field on the stretcher. 

Araujo left the field with the game at 0-0, in a vital game for the USA in their bid to qualify for the knockout stages of Copa America.

The game was being played at the Kansas City Chiefs' Arrowhead Stadium, with tens of thousands of soccer fans in attendance.

The delay in play left an eerie silence around the stadium, which is widely renowned for being the loudest sports arena in America.

Araujo is a 24-year-old left-winger, who plays his club football for Toluca in Mexico.

Prior to that, he spent two years at Puebla, after beginning his career in his home country with Montevideo Wanderers.