Raphael Dwamena

Raphael Dwamena was a Ghanaian striker who played in Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Denmark and Albania, and scored twice on his debut for Ghana in 2017. He had a heart condition that interrupted his career several times, and he died after collapsing during a match in Albania on 11 November 2023, aged 28.

Early career

He was born on 12 September 1995 in Nkawkaw and came through the Red Bull Ghana programme. He joined Red Bull Salzburg's youth team in 2014, made his professional debut for its farm club FC Liefering that July, and then scored 18 goals in 20 games in half a season at Austria Lustenau.

Zürich, Levante and his heart

In January 2017 he joined FC Zürich and scored 12 goals in 18 games to win promotion, then two on his Swiss Super League debut. A move to Brighton and Hove Albion in August 2017 collapsed when he failed the medical because of a heart condition, later diagnosed as ventricular arrhythmia. In August 2018 he signed for Levante in Spain and was loaned to Real Zaragoza in 2019, but doctors then advised him to retire. In January 2020 he was fitted with an implantable defibrillator.

Final years

He returned with Vejle in Denmark in 2020, scoring twice before being withdrawn again, and in October 2021 collapsed during a cup match for Blau-Weiß Linz in Austria, where his defibrillator revived him. After a spell with BSC Old Boys in Switzerland, he joined Albanian club Egnatia in December 2022 and scored twice against Ararat-Armenia in the UEFA Conference League in July 2023.

International career

He made his Ghana debut on 11 June 2017 in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Ethiopia and scored twice.

Death

On 11 November 2023 he collapsed on the pitch during Egnatia's league match against Partizani and could not be revived.