Former Ghana Striker Raphael Dwamena passed away at the age of 28, after collapsing on pitch during a league game in Albania. Dwamena was playing for the local Egnatia team against Partizani on Saturday, when the fatal incident occurred. First aid was given, before the player was rushed to hospital.

"Despite the immediate intervention of specialist doctors and all efforts to bring him back to life, the footballer unfortunately passed away," said the Albanian Football Federation (AFL).

As of yet, no cause of death has been given. The match was halted at 1-1, with all scheduled Albanian league matches postponed for the remainder of the week.Dwamena had been diagnosed with a heart condition in 2017, resulting in a £14m transfer to Brighton to fall through after he failed a medical. He had also collapsed on the pitch in 2021 during a game in Austria.

It is reported that he underwent a heart operation and had an automatic defibrillator implanted.
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In the Albanian league, Dwamena was the leading scorer this season, having scored nine goals. Dwamena has also played for Levante in the Spanish La Liga for one season as well as Real Zaragoza on loan in 2019-20.

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The AFL continued: "The AFL expresses its deepest condolences to the Dwamena family and the Egnatia club for this great loss that has shocked the entire Albanian football community,"

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The Ghana Football Association (GFA) also said: “ We send our deepest condolences to his family at this difficult moment". "He served his country well and showed class any time he represented Ghana," GFA president Kurt Edwin Simeon Okraku said in a statement.

Levante took to social media to pay the respects to Dwamena, saying: "We would like to express our deepest condolences for the passing of our former player, Raphael Dwamena.

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“Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this difficult time. His legacy at our club will always endure."Zaragoza also paid their respects on X (Twitter), saying: "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."