Belgian football goalie Arne Espeel tragically died after collapsing during a game over the weekend after saving a penalty kick, know his cause of death
Arne Espeel was just 25.
Belgian goalkeeper Arne Espeel cause of death, obituary, age, family, club, stats
Arne Espeel, a goalie for an amateur team in Belgium, passed away at the age of 25 after collapsing on the field just after saving a penalty. The Independent claims that the incident happened on Saturday at Winkel Sport’s facility. The cause of Mr Espeel’s death will be determined by an autopsy, which has been planned to be performed soon.
Belgian goalkeeper Arne Espeel died after collapsing on the pitch on Saturday just after saving a penalty for his team.
25 years old. Devastating. 💔 pic.twitter.com/bRHEskrpXv
— Barstool Football (@StoolFootball) February 15, 2023
▶Muere Arnee Espeel, portero de 25 años, durante un partido tras detener penalti
Arnee Espeel, arquero del Winkel Sport B, falleció después de atajar un penalti del Westrozebeke. pic.twitter.com/Hufm2Dx9om
— Morelos Puntual (@morelos_puntual) February 14, 2023
The horrible tragedy occurred on February 11 at Sportpark Terschueren in West Flanders Province, during a match between Winkel Sport B and Westrozebeke. Espeel was in action against Westrozebeke in Belgium’s second tier of West Brabant. The well-known goalie of Winkel Sport B saved a penalty kick in the second half of the game. Winkel led his team 2-1; however, a short while later, according to nearby witnesses, he instantly fell to the ground after collapsing on the field.
Emergency personnel continued to rush to Mr Espeel’s aid and exerted every effort to save him. Later on, he was brought to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead despite medical experts’ best efforts to revive him with a defibrillator. The cause of death has not yet been revealed but, according to our sources, it would be determined by an autopsy very soon.
Tributes pour in
On Monday, Espeel’s teammates paid tribute to him by placing flowers at a goal mount, and it’s been claimed that around 1,000 supporters, friends, and family members also attended a walk of silence in Sint-Eloois-Winkel.
The club released a statement saying, “Winkel Sport is in very deep sadness by the sudden passing of Arne Espeel. “We extend our sincere sympathies to Arne’s family and friends during this difficult time. Football is a secondary concern,” they added.
The sporting director of Winkel, Patrick Rotsaert, remarked, “This is a shock to everyone. Arne was adored by everyone and had spent his entire life with the club. He was an incredibly sensitive young man who is always happy and willing to assist. This is a significant blow for his family and our entire club,” Rotsaert continued.