Raphael Dwamena, a former Black Stars striker, died on Saturday at the age of 28 after suffering a heart attack during a league match in Albania.
The event occurred in the 23rd minute of KF Egnatia’s game versus Partizani, and efforts to resuscitate him were ineffective. He passed away on the way to the hospital.
Dwamena’s unexpected death has shocked the football world, particularly in his home country of Ghana.
“The Partizani Club, President Demi, and the entire red family express their sincerest condolences to the family and the Egnatia Club for the death of striker Raphael Dwamena,” said Partizani. We share your anguish at this awful time for Albanian football.”
The striker had a history of cardiac problems, having been diagnosed with one in 2017. Despite wearing an implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), Dwamena encountered difficulties, falling many times during games.
His suffering resulted in his dismissal from Austrian team Blau-Weiss Linz in 2021 after falling during a cup play.
Dwamena’s career in football featured a significant period with FC Zürich when he made an early impression by scoring 12 goals in 18 appearances, assisting the team in achieving promotion to the Swiss Super League.
A prospective move to Premier League team Brighton & Hove Albion in 2017 fell through owing to a failed test due to his cardiac ailment. He later signed with La Liga club Levante UD in 2018.
Despite suggestions for urgent withdrawal and retirement from football in 2019 following further investigations of his cardiac condition, Dwamena persisted, having an ICD implanted in January 2020. He began his club career with Liefering and then went on to play for Vejle BK and Levante.
Dwamena made his international debut in 2017 against Ethiopia in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, scoring a brace. In nine appearances for the national team, he scored two goals.
