Football! The most popular sport in the world. Even though is full of so much positive phenomenon, it also sometimes comes with unpleasant events.
For so many times, we have seen players sustain injuries. And more sadly, football fans have had to see their favorite footballers break down and succumb to death.
Daily Report NG brings you the list of African footballers who tragically lost their lives on the field of play.
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- Antonio De Nigris (Mexico)
Antonio De Nigris, a Mexican forward who played for several clubs including Monterrey and Puebla, suffered a heart attack and died in November 2009. De Nigris collapsed while training with his Greek club, Larissa, and despite immediate attempts to revive him, he passed away at the age of 31.
2. Antonio Puerta (Spain)
Antonio Puerta, a Spanish footballer who played as a left-back for Sevilla FC, suffered a cardiac arrest during a La Liga match against Getafe in August 2007. Despite receiving immediate medical attention and being able to leave the field on his own, Puerta later collapsed in the dressing room and was rushed to the hospital. Unfortunately, he passed away several days later due to multiple organ failure caused by the initial cardiac arrest.
3. Miklós Fehér (Hungary)
Miklós Fehér, a Hungarian striker, tragically lost his life during a Primeira Liga match between his club, SL Benfica, and Vitória Guimarães in January 2004. Fehér collapsed on the field in the 62nd minute due to a heart attack. Despite attempts to revive him, he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital.
4. Phil O’Donnell (Scotland)
Phil O’Donnell, a Scottish footballer who played as a midfielder, suffered a cardiac arrest while playing for Motherwell FC during a Scottish Premier League match against Dundee United in December 2007. He collapsed on the field and despite immediate medical attention, he couldn’t be revived. The cause of his death was later identified as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
5. Piermario Morosini (Italy)
Piermario Morosini, an Italian midfielder playing for Livorno, collapsed on the field during a Serie B match against Pescara in April 2012. Efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful, and he passed away due to cardiac arrest caused by a congenital heart defect.
- Dani Jarque (Spain)
Dani Jarque, a Spanish professional footballer and captain of RCD Espanyol, suffered a heart attack during preseason training in August 2009. He was staying with the team in Italy when he collapsed in his hotel room. Despite immediate medical attention, Jarque was unable to be revived and died at the age of 26.
7. Phil O’Brien (Scotland)
Phil O’Brien, a Scottish footballer who played as a defender, collapsed and died of a heart attack during a Scottish Cup match between Stenhousemuir and Cowdenbeath in November 2002. O’Brien, who was 25 at the time, had a history of minor heart problems and had even undergone surgery a few years prior.
- Hrvoje Ćustić (Croatia)
Hrvoje Ćustić, a Croatian left-back playing for NK Zadar, tragically lost his life during a match against Cibalia in March 2008. After a collision with an opponent, Ćustić fell unconscious on the field and suffered severe head injuries. Despite being rushed to the hospital, he passed away a few days later at the age of 24.
9. David di Tommaso (France)
A French defender who played for FC Utrecht in the Netherlands, tragically passed away in November 2005. Di Tommaso was found dead in his apartment at the age of 26, just hours before a scheduled match. The cause of his death was later determined to be an acute heart failure.
