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Football is a sport that brings people from different backgrounds together, though being an entertaining sport it can also sometimes end up with disappointments or tragedies. Many players have suffered injuries while on duty playing for their teams and sadly others have also lost their lives, there are always medics on the field for each team playing in case a player is injured and an emergency ambulance for fatal injuries that require extra medical attention. Here are the seven most impacting deaths of footballers who died during or as a result of the game.

PATRICK EKENG

The former Cameroonian and Dinamo Bucuresti died on May 6^th 2016, Ekeng just fell to the ground without any contact from the opponents while they were playing against Viitorul in the League game. The incident happened at around the 70^th minute of the game minutes after coming on as a substitute, he was pronounced dead by the Dinamo’s team doctor at the hospital after a resuscitation attempt that lasted for one and a half hours.

BEN IDRISSA DERME

Derme died on September 11^th 2016 at the age of 34 years. The former Burkina Faso International died of a heart attack during a French cup match, he played for a French football club known as Moldova.

ANTONIO PUERTA

The Sevilla player fainted during a league game against Getafe, he somehow regained consciousness but was substituted due to the incident. He again lost consciousness in the changing room and was rushed to the hospital, he died three days late on the 28^th of August 2007 as a result of postanoxic encephalopathy.

PIERMARIO MOROSINI

The Italian and Livorno midfielder suffered a cardiac arrest on the 14^th of April 2012 while playing against Pescara in Serie B, Morosini was later rushed to hospital and the match was abandoned. Still, unfortunately, he died on his way to the hospital.

ALEN PAMIC

The former Croatian youth international died a tragic death at the age of 23 years on the 22^nd of June 2013. Pamic suffered a heart attack while playing a friendly game, reports revealed that it was not the first time that he collapsed on the pitch and that he had a long history of heart problems but the medics could just let him continue with his career.

CRISTIANO JUNIOR

Junior was a Brazilian forward who played for Dempo and died on the 5^th of December 2004 at 25 years old. He was involved in an on-field collision with the opponent’s goalkeeper while trying to score his second goal in the Federation Cup finals in India. He staggered and then passed out in the 78^th minute of the game, he was rushed to the hospital even though the game continued and Junior was pronounced dead later.

SAM OKWARAJI

The Nigerian football legend collapsed in the 80^th minute of the game against Angola in a 1990 World Cup qualifiers, the incident occurred on August 1989.

JUAN IZQUIERDO

The Uruguayan death is the latest tragedy that has happened in football this year during a 2024 Copa Libertadores match between Nacional against Sao Paulo on the 22^nd of August 2024. Juan collapsed in the 84^th minute without any contact with another player who was afterwards rushed to an intensive care unit and put on a ventilator, he died at the age of 27 years old.

On the 27^th of July 2024, a rocket hit a football pitch in Majdal Sham in Israel (Golan Heights) killing at least 12 Syrian children and leaving 42 others injured. May the souls of all departed footballers and fans rest in eternal peace.