Ghana international footballer Raphael Dwamena dies aged 28 after collapsing on pitch

Raphael Dwamena
Raphael Dwamena Photo credit: Carlos Sanchez Martinez/Icon Sportswire/AP

Raphael Dwamena, who played for the Ghana international football team, has died at the age of 28 after collapsing during a match, the Ghana Football Association announced.

“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.”

While no official details have been released on Dwamena’s death, video appears to show him collapsing on Saturday in the 24th minute of an Albanian top division match between Dwamena’s team KF Egnatia and Partizani.

Video footage posted to X, formerly Twitter, shows Dwamena collapsing on the pitch, before players from both teams rushed to his side. He was then attended to by medical personnel as an ambulance was brought onto the pitch.

Dwamena previously collapsed in October 2021 during a match between his then team Blau-Weiß Linz and Hartberg in the Austrian Cup, but recovered and returned to action.

During his career, Dwamena played for clubs in Spain, Switzerland, Austria and Denmark.

Levante, one of Dwamena’s former teams, paid tribute to the forward.

“On behalf of Levante, we would like to express our sincere condolences for the death of our former player, Raphael Dwamena,” the club said in a statement.