November 11, (THEWILL) – Tragedy struck in the Albanian Superliga, on Saturday when Ghanaian striker, Raphael Dwamena, collapsed and died during a match between his club FK Egnatia and Partizani.
The 27-year-old was stretchered off the pitch in the 23rd minute after suddenly falling to the ground. Despite attempts to resuscitate him, Dwamena was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Dwamena’s career had been plagued by heart issues, after being diagnosed with a condition in 2017. A £10 million move to Brighton collapsed after he failed a medical, and he later had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) fitted.
Calls grew for Dwamena to retire after he collapsed during a match in Austria in 2021, where his ICD shocked his heart back into rhythm. However, the striker carried on playing, recently excelling for FK Egnatia with 20 goals this season.
On Saturday, his ICD sadly could not prevent his tragic death. Tributes have poured in from Dwamena’s former clubs, including FC Zürich where he shone in 2017 – 2018.
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
