Former Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan has conveyed his condolences and paid a poignant tribute to Raphael Dwamena, who tragically passed away during a league game in the Albanian top-flight league between Egnatia and Partizani.
The 28-year-old former Black Stars forward collapsed in the 23rd minute of the match and was declared dead upon reaching the hospital. Dwamena’s prolonged battle with a heart condition since 2017 had posed significant challenges to his career.
Gyan, expressing his grief on social media, shared, “Rest well brother. Hmmmm life.” The heartfelt message echoes the profound shock and sorrow felt by the football community in the wake of the untimely loss of this talented player.
Dwamena’s struggles with his heart condition became public in 2017 when a planned transfer to English club Brighton & Hove Albion fell through due to a failed medical examination. Despite facing setbacks, he persevered, even opting for an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) in January 2020 against initial retirement advice.
His challenges persisted, leading to his release by Danish club Vejle in November 2020 due to concerns about his heart condition. In 2021, Dwamena collapsed during an Austrian Cup game and, despite recovering, was released by the club.
The tragic incident on November 11, 2023, during the Egnatia vs. Partizani match marked the final chapter in Dwamena’s courageous battle against the odds. Efforts to revive him were in vain, prompting the suspension of all football and sports events in Albania as the football community