- Raphael Dwamena, a Ghanaian international footballer, has died at the age of 28 after collapsing on the pitch during a league match in Albania.
- Dwamena was playing for Egnatia against Partizani on Saturday, November 11, 2023, when he fell to the ground in the 24th minute of the game
- He was rushed to the hospital by paramedics, but could not be revived.
Ghanian international Raphael Dwamena has passed on after collapsing on the pitch during a league game between Egnatia and Partizani on Saturday November 11.
Video footages circulating on social media shows the ex Levante striker slumping around the 24th minute of play, with players from both teamd rushing to his aid. He was carried out of the pitch in an ambulance. His death was confirmed on social media by the Albania football federation
“The Albanian Football Federation expresses its deep shock for the tragedy that happened today during the match of the 13th week of “Abissnet Superiore”, Egnatia-Partizani.
Footballer Raphael Dwamena lost consciousness during the match and after the first intervention of doctors on the field of play, he was transported by ambulance to the hospital.
Despite the immediate intervention of specialist doctors and all subsequent efforts to bring him back to life, the footballer unfortunately passed away.
The AFL expresses its deepest condolences to the Dwamena family and the Egnatia club for this great loss and event that has shocked the entire Albanian football community”, The Albania football federation wrote.
In continuation, all games schedule in the Albania championship has been postpone.
“The Football Federation announces that all matches scheduled for this weekend in all football championships in Albania will be postponed to a later date,” The federation concluded.
Dwamena was the leading scorer in the Albanian league this season with nine goals. He had also represented Ghana nine times and scored two goals for his country. He began his career as a youth player at Red Bull Salzburg and went on to play for clubs in Spain, Switzerland, Austria and Denmark.
The Ghana Football Association (GFA) also expressed its condolences to Dwamena’s family and praised his dedication to the national team.
“He served his country well and showed class any time he represented Ghana,” GFA president Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku said in a statement.
This was not the first time Dwamena had collapsed on the field. In 2021, he suffered a similar incident during a cup match in Austria between his then team Blau-Weiss Linz and Hartberg. He recovered and continued his playing career after reportedly having a heart operation and an automatic defibrillator implanted.
However, in 2017, a proposed £14m move to Brighton fell through after Dwamena failed a medical. He later joined Levante in La Liga and also played for Real Zaragoza on loan.
Dwamena’s former clubs, Levante and Zaragoza, also paid tribute to the striker on social media. “Our thoughts are with his family and his loved ones in these difficult moments. His legacy in our club will last forever,” Levante said. Zaragoza added: “We are devastated by the sad news of the passing of our former player Raphael Dwamena. You will always be in the memory of Zaragoza’s fans. Rest in peace.”
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