From Foe to Tiote – five player deaths

Editorial

6. juni 2017

Ivory Coast international and former Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote died while training for his Chinese club on Monday. Here are five players who died during their careers.

– Marc-Vivien Foe, June 2003 –

Cameroon midfielder Foe collapsed after a heart attack during a Confederations Cup semi-final against Colombia in Lyon, France. The former Manchester City, West Ham and Lyon player was carried from the pitch as medical staff tried to revive him with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and oxygen. After trying to restart his heart for 45 minutes without success he was declared dead, aged just 28. His death prompted improvements in both the testing of footballers for heart problems and the treatment they can receive during matches, including training club medical teams in CPR and using defibrillators.

– Antonio Puerta, August 2007 –

Spain international Puerta, 22, collapsed while playing for Sevilla in a La Liga match against Getafe and died three days later from multiple organ failure stemming from prolonged cardiac arrest. It was three months after he had helped Sevilla to win the UEFA Cup. Sergio Ramos has a tattoo tribute to Puerta and wore a T-shirt dedicated to him as Spain won the 2010 World Cup. «Antonio has always been with me. The next game, I went out on the field with his shirt and for a long time after that, I wore one that was dedicated to him,» said Ramos.

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