Ghana international footballer Raphael Dwamena passed away at the age of 28 after collapsing on the field during a match, the Ghana Football Association confirmed on Saturday (November 11).
Dwamena was playing in Albania's top division match between KF Egnatia and Partizani and collapsed during the 24th minute. The match referee and the on-field players rushed to the aid of the 28-year-old and an ambulance was brought onto the pitch but the player couldn't survive.
“Our thoughts are with the family of Raphael Dwamena at this difficult time,” the association said in a statement.
“Raphael represented Ghana wholeheartedly and paid his dues to the country until his unfortunate passing. We will forever miss him for his dedication to the National Coarse. Rest In Peace Raphael.”
This was not the first time the talented striker collapsed on the field as it happened in 2021 between his then-team Blau-Weiß Linz and Hartberg in the Austrian Cup, but he recovered and returned to action.
Dwamena was on his way to becoming a top footballer but his £14m move to the English football club Brighton fell off due to a medical failure.
After that, he played for the Spanish club Levante and then went to Real Zaragoza on loan.
“On behalf of Levante, we would like to express our sincere condolences for the death of our former player, Raphael Dwamena,” his former club Levante said in a statement.
The 28-year-old has had a history of heart problems, it was first diagnosed in 2017. In 2021, he was advised to retire from professional football but the striker ignored the calls and eventually passed away while playing the game he loved.
"If Dwamena was my patient, I'd sit him down and call a year or two off,” Ghanian doctor Prince Pambo said in November 2021. "To deeply go into whatever problem it is, probably I would be tilted towards wanting to prepare him very well for a beautiful retirement from sports.”
All the football matches in Albania have now been postponed following Dwamena's tragic passing. He was the leading top-scorer of the league with nine goals.