Arne Espeel, goalkeeper for the Belgian provincial soccer club Winkel Sport, died on Saturday night after stopping a penalty in a match against Westrozebeke, local media reported.
Espeel, 25, collapsed immediately after celebrating a penalty that he just saved fifteen minutes into the second half of the match, which his team was leading 2-1. The medical staff helped the player on the spot, even using a defibrillator, but he could not recover and he died on the way to the hospital.
“This is a disaster and a shock for everyone,” said Patrick Rotsaert, sporting director of Winkel Sport. “Arne had been at the club all his life and he was very loved (…). This is really a blow, ”he lamented.
MY GOD! Arne Espeel, goalkeeper for Winkel Sport B, a Belgian amateur soccer team, died suddenly after saving a penalty during a match.
The causes of his death are being investigated.
I was 25 years old… pic.twitter.com/DCzXnzWE9R
— Toque Sports (@ToqueSports) February 12, 2023
Espeel’s younger brother, 20-year-old Aaron, reportedly sat on the bench for the first time in weeks after injury and witnessed the tragic event. So far, the authorities have not ruled on the cause of death.
Fuente RT
