On Saturday, February 11th, 2023, Belgium lost one of its greats. Arne Espeel, a 25-year-old goalkeeper for amateur team Winkel Sport, collapsed just seconds after saving a penalty kick. The tragedy was felt throughout the entire football community as tributes poured in from all around the world. But before we say goodbye to Arne Espeel, let’s take a look at his life and career. Keep reading more.
Who was Arne Espeel?
Arne Espeel was born on January 14th 1998 in Ghent, Belgium. He joined Winkel Sport in 2018 and had been playing for them ever since. He quickly established himself as one of their star players and was known for his agility and reflexes between the posts. In 2021 he won the Belgian Cup with Winkel Sport and was named Player of the Year for his performance during that tournament. He was also chosen to represent Belgium in the 2022 World Cup where he played exceptionally well and helped lead his country to an impressive third place finish.
What happened to Arne Espeel? What was the cause of his death?
The incident took place on Saturday at Winkel Sports ground while they were playing against KRC Genk B team. Espeel had made a spectacular save to keep his team ahead 1-0 when suddenly he collapsed without warning and could not be revived by medical personnel who arrived shortly thereafter. An autopsy has been scheduled to have taken place in order to determine the cause of Mr Espeel’s death but so far no results have been released yet.
Arne Espeel Obituary
Arne Espeel was an incredible player with a bright future ahead of him until tragedy struck on Saturday 11th May 2023; robbing us all from seeing what this man could have accomplished if given more time. We can only hope that an autopsy will help reveal what happened to Arne so that something like this can be avoided in the future. Please join us in keeping Arne’s family and friends in our thoughts during these times as we remember a truly remarkable footballer gone too soon! Rest In Peace Arne!
Tributes Pour To Arne Espeel Death
Tributes from players, coaches and fans have been pouring in from all around the world as people mourn this tragic loss of potential greatness within the sport of soccer.
Robby Starbuck
Over the weekend, Belgian goalkeeper Arne Espeel collapsed and died suddenly at age 25 during a game. This is NOT normal and we can never accept it as normal. It’s beyond time to demand all major sports leagues fully investigate the deaths of young vaccinated athletes like this!
Jane Wathen
This will not get much air time in the US media. If you haven’t seen it, a professional athlete (Arne Espeel-Belgium League Goal Keeper), died on the field during a game…😢. The Buffalo Bills player who nearly died 4 weeks ago generated $9+ million in donations and millions of people sent their prayers to him. Keep this player and his family in your prayers, too. 🙏🙏🙏