The football world was shaken on Saturday by the tragic death of Ghanaian striker Raphael Dwamena on the pitch in Albania. Dwamena had a long history of heart problems, which hindered his career prospects. After a standout performance with Zurich in the Swiss Super League, he moved to Spain, playing for Levante, Zaragoza, and Vejle. However, health concerns led these teams to terminate his contracts. Undeterred, Dwamena continued to play football, eventually joining Egnatia in Albania. Tragically, after nearly a year in Rogožina, he suffered a heart attack during a match against Partizan and later died in a Kavaja hospital.
His death followed his decision two years prior to remove his defibrillator in Zurich, a move that drew concern from many, including his manager and former player Philipp Degen. Degen had urged Dwamena to retire and consider a career in scouting, emphasizing the risk to his life. Despite these pleas, Dwamena chose to rely on his faith over technology. Degen, deeply affected, shared that he viewed Dwamena like a son and had hoped he would pursue safer opportunities in football, such as becoming an agent, coach, or ambassador.
The Ghanaian player, linked with clubs from the Premier League of Bosnia and Herzegovina last summer, passed away at just 28 years old. His death adds to a growing number of on-field medical emergencies, such as Bas Dost’s recent collapse in the Netherlands and Christian Eriksen’s 2021 incident at the European Championship. Eriksen, who received a defibrillator, was able to return to playing, including a stint at Manchester United, a path that Dwamena, unfortunately, did not take.
