Play hard die young

Soccer is the most popular sport in the world, played by men, women, and children of all ages. Unfortunately, soccer has been plagued in recent years by deaths at the professional level during internationally televised games. Study shows that the most common causes of young athletes deaths is Sudden cardiac death (SCD), The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) enforced a screening among professional soccer players, and precautions have been put in place to prevent SCD on the field in professional soccer.

After the death of Marc Vivien Foe in 2003, FIFA reacted by making it mandatory to equip all stadiums with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) as well as to have available medical and paramedical personnel who are able to manage emergencies such as cardiac arrest. A remarkable result of these initiatives can be attributed to the case the 24-year-old Fabrice Muamba, who on March 17, 2012, collapsed on the field during an internationally televised game between Bolton and Tottenham of the English Premier League. Resuscitation began on the field and Muamba is reported to have been in cardiac arrest for 78 minutes and to have received a total of 15 defibrillator shocks. While he has now retired from soccer, Muamba has made a full recovery with no neurological deficits, a medical miracle likely related to the onsite AED and well trained personel rapidly responding to this emergency.

A look at some of the players who has gone down for the love of the game.
Lets Remember them.


Marc-Vivien Foé
Age: 28 Country: Cameroon
26 June 2003 Collapsed while playing in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup semi-final between his country and Colombia, and died shortly afterward in hospital. An autopsy later revealed the cause of death was hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Miklós Fehér Age: 24 Club: Benfica
25 January 2004 Cardiac arrest caused by hypertrophic cardiomyopathy while playing against Vitória.

Antonio Puerta Age: 22 Club: Sevilla FC
28 August 2007 Collapsed during a match against Getafe C.F.. He died later in hospital after several cardiac arrests. Autopsy revealed arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy.

Benjamin Owusu Age: 21 Club: Cavaliers FC Parakou
10 November 2010 Collapsed while playing in Benin.


Piermario Morosini Age: 25 Club: Livorno
14 April 2012 Collapsed during a Serie B game against Pescara. The cause of death was cardiac arrest.

Cc: lalasticlala Seun Mynd44 Obinoscopy let the world know