The heart doesn’t play anymore! The former Red Bull Salzburg player has to give up football boots at the age of 24.
Enock Mwepu must end his football career at the age of 24.
The former Salzburg pro from Zambia has been under contract with Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League since 2021. The club announced the surprising end of his career on Monday. The reason: hereditary heart problems. The risk is too high, Mwepu was previously diagnosed with “significant heart problems”.
“All devastated”
“We are all absolutely devastated for Enock,” said Brighton chairman Tony Bloom. “He and his family have been through a traumatic couple of weeks.”
Mwepu, who played 27 games for Brighton and scored ten points, fell ill on a trip to the Zambian national team. Tests after returning to England revealed congenital heart disease, which, according to the club, “was previously undetectable in regular heart exams.”
“This is not the end I imagined,” Mwepu wrote on Twitter.
The team’s 24-time player was in action for Salzburg from 2018 to 2021. He made 119 official appearances and scored 18 goals as a central midfielder.
Mwepu will not be left alone. Brighton coach Roberto de Zerbi clarified: “We will do everything we can to help him. I am so sorry for Enock. Before I came here I looked at the whole squad and he was a player, which I was looking forward to seeing. “
“We will help him manage the disease with the appropriate treatment so that he can otherwise lead a long and healthy life,” said Adam Brett, head of medicine and performance at Brighton. Mwepu now has to “put his health and family first and it’s the right decision, no matter how hard it is to give up the sport he loves”.
