Belgian goalkeeper Arne Espeel made a heroic save for his club before collapsing onto the field moments later.
According to multiple reports, the goalie who plays for Winkel Sports B, the second division of West Brabant in Belgium, saved a penalty against Westrozebeke before promptly dropping to the field in an attempt to chase a rebound.
The defibrillator failed to revive the 25-year-old, who was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. The cause of Espeel’s sudden death is pending an autopsy completed on Monday.
The Belgian side issued the following heartfelt message: “Winkel Sport is in very deep mourning at the sudden passing of goalkeeper Arne Espeel.
“We wish Arne’s family and friends our heartfelt condolences at this heavy loss. Football is taking a back seat for some time.”
The team put flowers down in the goal where Espeel collapsed. Friends and family and over 1,000 fans visited the field to pay their respects.
Photo: Twitter/@afcthms
