THEY HAVE TRIBUTES was paid to former Ghana striker Raphael Dwamena, who died after collapsing on the pitch during a league match in Albania.
Dwamena lost consciousness while playing for Egnatia in the Albanian Super League against Partizani on Saturday, the Albanian Football Association (AFL) said in a statement.
The 28-year-old was given first aid before being rushed to hospital.
“Despite the immediate intervention of specialist doctors and all efforts to bring him back to life, the football player unfortunately passed away,” the federation announced.
After Dwamena’s collapse the game was halted at 1-1. All matches scheduled in Albania this week have been postponed, the federation added.
The AFL has announced that all this week’s matches in Albania have been postponed.
Duamena was the top scorer in the Albanian league this season with nine goals for the Egnatia side. He had won nine caps and scored two goals for Ghana.
“The AFL extends its deepest condolences to the Dwamena family and the Egnatia club for this great loss which has shocked the entire Albanian football community,” the federation said.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) said it sent “our deepest condolences to his family at this difficult time”.
“He served his country well and showed class every time he represented Ghana,” GFA president Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku said in a statement.
Dwamena started his career as a youth player at Red Bull Salzburg and went on to play for teams such as FC Zurich, Levante, Real Zaragoza.
A planned £14m move to Premier League side Brighton was called off in 2017 after he failed a medical.
In 2017 a proposed £14m move to Brighton fell through after Dwamena failed a medical. He continued with Levante in La Liga and also played on loan at Real Zaragoza.
In 2021, he collapsed during a cup match in Austria between his team Blau-Weiss Linz against Hartberg, but recovered and continued his career.
He reportedly underwent heart surgery and was implanted with an automatic defibrillator.
His former teams paid tribute to the player.
“Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this difficult time. His legacy to our club will last forever,” Levante said on social media.
Zaragoza also paid tribute, saying: “We are devastated by the sad news of the death of our former player Rafael Duamena. You will always be remembered by Zaragoza fans. Rest in Peace.”