( CNN ) -- It was supposed to be part of the magic of taking the World Cup to Brazil , that a city deep in the heart of the legendary Amazonian rainforest would be hosting matches . Barring major mishap , this will come to pass but the Arena da Amazonia in Manaus may well become a venue that is remembered more for tragedy than any football theater . For the 42,000-seater arena , whose four matches include the clash between former world champions England and Italy , has been beset by problems during construction . On Friday , Antônio José Pita Martins became the third worker to die while working in or near the ground , a tally that accounts for half the fatalities during construction of the 12 stadiums for June 's finals . The 55-year-old died after being struck on the head by a piece of falling iron as a crane that had been used to build the stadium 's roof was dismantled outside the arena in northern Brazil . A hospital statement later said that a combination of head and chest injuries had caused Martins ' death . `` With great sadness we send our sincere condolences to the family , on behalf of both FIFA and the Local Organising Committee , '' wrote FIFA Secretary General Jérôme Valcke on Twitter . Work at the Arena da Amazonia , which football 's world governing body FIFA had wanted to be finished in December , is one of several stadiums in Brazil running behind schedule - with just 125 days to go before the tournament begins . In December , Marcleudo de Melo Ferreira died after falling nearly 35 meters from the roof of the stadium . The 22-year-old 's death , which followed Manaus ' first fatality in March 2013 , prompted his fellow construction workers to go on strike until they received assurances of improved safety conditions . These appear to still be in some doubt following the death of Martins , a Portuguese national . A statement was released by Brazil 's Sports Minister Aldo Rebelo expressing regret for the death . `` The Sports Ministry laments the death of worker Antônio José Pita Martins , victim of an accident at the construction site of the Arena da Amazonia , on Friday , in Manaus , '' he said . `` Personally and in the name of the federal government , I express deep regret and express my feelings and solidarity with the family and friends of the worker . '' It is wording with which Rebelo is becoming depressingly familiar , having released a nearly identical statement in the wake of Ferreira 's death . Two other workers were killed last November in Sao Paulo , following the collapse of a crane at the stadium set to host the opening game of the finals on June 12 , while another died in Brasilia . The Manaus stadium will also stage the following matches : United States-Portugal , Cameroon-Croatia and Honduras-Switzerland . News of the death came a day after fierce clashes between police and citizens of Rio de Janeiro as the latter protested over increased public transport costs . Many Brazilians are unhappy about the huge governmental spending on the World Cup when they say such public services as schools , hospitals and infrastructure are in desperate need of repair .
Third worker dies during construction of World Cup stadium in Manaus . City in the heart of the Amazon has been beset by construction problems . England , Italy and Portugal all set to play at Arena da Amazonia .