The 10 Most Heartbreaking Deaths Of Soccer Players On Field In History

Football is a game of mixed emotions. The beautiful sport does have its beautiful side but the unfortunate deaths of soccer players on field is definitely not a part of it. More than half of the world’s entire population loves football but many are unaware about the physical and mental toll which the sport has on a professional player. Although professional players are fit, in peak athletic condition and have great cardiovascular health, sometimes the physical toll is too much which leads to injuries and in rare cases even deaths. The majority of the deaths of soccer players on the field are related to cardiac arrest or conditions such as HCM, and arrhythmias which are conditions triggered by intense physical exertions. No death can be compared however some deaths have created a void in football history and are very heartbreaking. Here’s a look at the top 10 most heartbreaking deaths of soccer players on field in history.

10) Marc-Vivien Foé

Foé is a talented player who has played at the likes of Manchester City, Lyon and West Ham. Marc-Vivien Foé’s unfortunate demise was on June 26, 2003, in Lyon, France. The midfielder was standing unmarked and around the 45th minute mark in the centre of pitch when he suddenly fell. The medical staff present on pitch tried to revive him for 45 minutes but unfortunately could not do so. An autopsy revealed that Marc-Vivien was suffering from HCM ( Hypertrophic Cardio Myopathy) , a condition in which the heart muscle thickens leading to insufficient pumping of blood.

This unfortunate event happened in the FIFA Confederations Cup Semi-Final in 2003 on June 2006 in Lyon, France which had already gathered a lot of views. The tragic event was so shocking that FIFA was compelled to provide and implement compulsory screening measures and ensure availability of defribillators at staidums.

9) Antonio Puerta

Puerta’s death was a grave reminder to lay more emphasis on cardiac screenings and emergency support in football. Antonio Puerta played in La Liga for Sevilla FC which is a very big deal considering that La Liga is in the top 5 best leagues in the world. Sevilla was playing Getafe FC in a league match on August 25, 2007 when Puerta met his end. Antonio Puerta collapsed on the pitch and even regained consciousness. Puerta walked off with assistance to the locker room where he suffered repeated cardiac arrests. Puerta was taken to the hospital where he ultimately passed away after three days.

Antonio’s cause of death was due to ARVD ( Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Dysplasia), a condition which disrupts the heart’s rhythm. Sevilla retired his jersey number “16” in order to honor and commemorate his legacy.

8) Miklós Fehér

This is arguably the most bizzare moment in the list of deaths of soccer players on field because Feher literally smiled before his death. Miklós Fehér played for Benfica and he smiled right at the referee whilst receiving a yellow card after which he collapsed suddenly. At that time, Benfica were playing against Vitória de Guimarães in a league match and the crowd was very shocked and saddened to see such an unfortunate event. Despite receiving immediate treatment, Feher succumbed to a fatal cardiac arrhythmia.

Benfica retired his jersey number “29” to honor his legacy and a statue has also been built in Benfica’s home stadium Estadio Da Luz.

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7) Cheick Tioté

Newcastle United and Premier League fans definitely loved how good of a player Cheick Tioté was. Tioté gained quite some popularity during his time in the Premier League because of his performances at Newcastle United. Tioté met his demise whilst he was at a training session with Beijing Enterprises on June 5th, 2017. The 30-year-old collapsed immediately and did not gain consciousness despite receiving medical attention. An autopsy revealed that he had suffered from a sudden cardiac arrest and there was not much they could do to help him. Millions of fans across the world paid tribute to the fierce midfielder.

6) Piermario Morosini

The probability of deaths happening in lower league football is a bit higher than in the top leagues since the lower leagues do not have screening tests, cardiac screenings, or adequate medical facilities. Piermario Morosini was a victim of this on April 14th, 2012 when he was playing for Livorno against Pescara in a Serie B match. Morosini stumbled before he fell to the ground and the paramedics did their very best and rushed him to the hospital immediately. Unfortunately, a delay in routes whilst travelling to the hospital proved fatal for Morosini. Later on, it was revealed that Morosini died because of a cardiac arrest and the cause of this was an underlying genetic condition. Livorno retired his jersey number “25” to honor and respect his legacy.

5) Cristian Gómez

Another case of the death of soccer players on the field in the lower leagues. Cristian was playing for Atlético Paraná in a Primera B Nacional match. The defender fell to the ground unmarked and medical teams rushed onto the ground to save him but unfortunately, their effort was in vain as Cristian was taken to the hospital where he was announced dead upon arrival. An autopsy further revealed that a sudden cardiac arrest led to his unfortunate demise.

4) Paulo Sérgio Oliveira da Silva

Famously known as Serginho collapsed on the pitch on October 27, 2004, in a Campeonato Brasileiro Série B match. The defender was playing well and did not give any signs of pain or weakness up until the 60th minute when he fell to the ground and suffered a sudden cardiac arrest. An investigation revealed that Serginho was playing despite having a severe heart condition which made it extremely risky for him to play football. This shed light on the Brazil Football Confederation’s regulations in which they allowed a player with a severe condition to play in a match.

3) Bruno Boban

This is one of the most horrific deaths of soccer players on field the history of sports and perhaps the most unexpected as well. Bruno Boban, a Croatian winger collapsed and fell to the ground on March 24, 2018, after he was struck on the chest with the ball. Nothing happened immediately, but a few minutes after getting struck on the chest, Bruno fell to the ground. The medical staff intervened immediately and despite doing their best, they could not help Bruno. Bruno’s cause of death was labelled as cardiac arrest possibly triggered by the impact on his chest.

2) Phil O’Donnell

O’Donnell was one of the most successful personality and player in Scottish football. The 35 year old midfielder collapsed on the field and died on December 29, 2007 whilst playing for Motherwell in a match against Dundee United. Some other unfortunate deaths had happened previously in Scottish football but Phil’s death sparked outrage since he was a very consistent and skillful player who was a captain as well in his career. The investigation revealed that Phil died due to left ventricular failure. The outrage was not only because of how loved the player was but also because of the inadequate medical screenings were in Scottish football. Motherwell retired his jersey number 10 to respect his legacy.

1) John Thomson

Back when football was still developing and was yet to become the most popular sport in the world, John Thomson, a goalkeeper for Celtic paid the ultimate price which led to his death. In 1931, John was the goalkeeper for Celtic United in an Old Firm Derby against Rangers. John collided with Ranger’s Sam English while saving a shot and the collision was so severe that it caused a skull fracture and brain hemorrhage. The skull fracture proved to be fatal which led to his death hours later. This raised more issues about safety concerns regarding head gear since football and various other sports are very physical. John’s death is a grave reminder that football although is a physical sport in nature but sometimes can cause unfortunate and brutal events.

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