You know That 26 of the 64 players who have died in the last 10 years are from African countries. That is nearly 40%.According, Fifa, football's world governing body, estimates that there are about 265 million people playing in recognised teams around the world. Around 17% of those are playing in Africa.

Therefore, while Africans make up 17% of the world's footballers they account for nearly 40% of the known deaths. Overall, the biggest cause of death of footballers on the pitch was sudden cardiac death and this was particularly true for African players, as 25 of the 26 died from this cause.

Could African players really be more susceptible to sudden cardiac death? While, you ponder over that, let look at 10 African Footballer who died while playing.

1).Samuel Okwaraji.

Nigeria's Samuel Okwaraji was the first major on-field casualty in Africa.He collapsed while playing for the Super Eagles in a World Cup qualifier against Angola in Lagos in 1989.An autopsy showed the 25-year-old, who was a law student and in Germany, had an enlarged heart and high blood pressure.

His death left the continent shocked but there was a much wider audience in Lyon, France, in 2003 when Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe fell in the centre circle 15 minutes from the end of Cameroon's Confederations Cup semi-final with Colombia.

2). Nwankwo Kanu

Nwankwo Kanu was able to resume his career after surgery in the US.Medics spent 45 minutes trying to restart the midfielder's heart before he was pronounced dead.His autopsy found that he suffered from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a hereditary condition which increases the risk of collapse during exercise.

3) Alexandro Lampis

Alexandros Lampis was a midfielder for Ilioupoli FC in the third tier of Greek football. The team was playing in a match against Ermionida last night at First Municipal Stadium in Glyfada. Just five minutes into the game, the 21-year-old collapsed on the field (“pitch”). Despite the numerous occurrences of soccer players collapsing and dying during games in 2021, somehow there was no defibrillator in the stadium, according to The Sun in the U.K.It took 20 minutes for paramedics to arrive, which of course was far too late. Mr. Lampis passed away soon

4) Sofiane Lokar

Sofiane Lokar collapsed on the field during Mouloudia Saida's match against Oran Association on Christmas day. According to Turkish outlet SuperHaber, the 30-year old had a collision with his own goalkeeper in the 26th minute, resulting in a suspected head injury. Shortly after, he received treatment for his injury and was declared fit to continue.

5) Christian Eriksen

Denmark star Christian Eriksen collapsed inside the Finland half just minutes before the break when a throw-in was directed towards him. Eriksen did not move as the players and fans appeared visibly worried at the nature of the incident. So what happened to Christian Eriksen and here is the latest update on Christian Eriksen health.

6) Moise Brou Apanga.

Former Gabon international Moise Brou Apanga died in training for Libreville 105 this April, aged 35. Apanga  was a professional footballer who played as a centre back. Born in the Ivory Coast, he represented Gabon at international level.Brou Apanga died in April 2017, having suffered a heart attack while training with his club side FC 105 Libreville.

7) Patrick Claude Ekeng

Ekeng was a Cameroonian professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. He had two international caps for his country's national team, whom he represented at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.

After starting at Canon Yaoundé and spending time on the fringes of France's Le Mans, he had brief spells in Switzerland, Spain, and Romania, where he died after collapsing in a match for Dinamo București.

8) Marcos Menaldo

Guatemalan footballer, Marcos Menaldo, has died of a heart attack.Marcos  suffered a heart attack in training with Guatemalan club Deportivo Marquense.. He complained to his teammates about breathing problems during training.Marcos Menaldo could not continue and medical help was needed Marcos Menaldo was immediately transported to the hospital, but there was no rescue. Deportivo won the second league in Guatemala last season and won a place in the elite team, and the 25-year-old central defender Marcos Menaldo was one of the key players of the team.

9) Marc-Vivien Foé

Marc vivien was a Cameroonian professional footballer, who played as a defensive midfielder for both club and country. Foé had success in France's Division 1 and England's Premier League, before his sudden death, due to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, during an international match, an event which shocked the football community worldwide.] He was posthumously decorated with the Commander of the National Order of Valour and had his shirt number 23.

On 26 June 2003, Cameroon faced Colombia in the semi-final, held at the Stade de Gerland in Lyon, France. In the 72nd minute of the match Foé collapsed in the centre circle, with no other players near him. After attempts to resuscitate him on the pitch, he was stretchered off the field, where he received mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and oxygen. Medics spent 45 minutes attempting to restart his heart, and although he was still alive upon arrival at the stadium's medical centre, he died shortly afterwards.A  first autopsy did not determine an exact cause of death, but a second autopsy concluded that Foé's death was heart-related as it discovered evidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a hereditary condition known to increase the risk of sudden death during physical exercise.Foes’ widow Marie-Louise stated that he had been ill with gastric problems and dysentery before his final match, but he was adamant to play in his adopted hometown of Lyon.

10) Since last year, many football players have either passed away or ended their careers, and among them are: Kun Aguero, Marin Cacic, Mukhaled Al-Raqadi, Sofiane Loukar... The question is whether Christian Eriksen will play and whether he will be the same player as before Unfortunately, tragic news is coming to us this time as well, from Guatemala.

 Author: Bobe Nkwain Chiambah