Raphael Dwamena was a Ghanaian professional footballer who played as a striker for various clubs and the Ghana national team.
He was known for his prolific scoring abilities, especially in the Swiss and Austrian leagues.
He scored 18 goals in 20 games for Austria Lustenau and 21 goals in 51 games for FC Zürich1.
He also represented Ghana in nine international matches and scored two goals2. Unfortunately, he passed away on 11 November 2023.
Raphael Dwamena Death Cause
On 11 November 2023, Dwamena collapsed on the field in the 23rd minute of the first half of the round 13 match between Egnatia and Partizani in the Kategoria Superiore.
He suffered a cardiac arrest and died on the way to Kavajë Hospital.
No details over a possible cause were given by the Albanian federation but local media reports focused on the player’s previous heart problems, including one game in 2021 with Austria´s Blau-Veis Linz when he was hospitalized with heart problems.
Raphael Dwamena Illness
Dwamena was diagnosed with a heart condition in 2017.
In January 2020, while at Levante UD he had an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implanted through surgery, which enabled his club to monitor his heart during matches.
In October 2020, the ICD showed values which were considered too high, and his club at the time, Vejle Boldklub, withdrew him from team activities as a result.
In October 2021, in Austrian Cup match during the first half of Blau-Weiss Linz’s game against Hartberg, Dwamena collapsed on pitch and was shocked by the ICD and stabilized quickly.
Who was Raphael Dwamena?
Born in Nkawkaw, Eastern Region, Ghana. Raphael Dwamena played and trained with the Red Bull Ghana developmental program.
At the International Tournament in Croix, France.
In 2013, Dwamena helped the RB Ghana U17 team to a silver medal performance, and was named the tournament’s Best Player.
Before returning to Ghana, Dwamena and his teammate, David Atanga, first travelled to Austria for a one-week trial with FC Red Bull Salzburg.
Dwamena joined the Salzburg youth team in January 2014, and immediately made an impact on the U18 squad.
In one tournament in June, he racked up seven goals in four games. Although Salzburg finished in third, he won the Golden Shoe.
Raphael Dwamena started his career with Red Bull Ghana, a developmental program for young footballers.
He moved to Austria in 2014 and joined Red Bull Salzburg, where he was loaned to FC Liefering, a farm team playing in the second division.
Some of his career highlights are:
He scored 12 goals in 18 matches for FC Zürich in the 2016–17 season, helping them win the Swiss Challenge League and gain promotion to the Swiss Super League.
He made his debut for the Ghana national team in June 2017 and scored two goals in a 5–0 win over Ethiopia in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualification.
He signed for Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion in August 2017, subject to a medical, but the deal fell through after he failed the medical due to a heart condition.
He returned to FC Zürich in January 2018 and scored 13 goals in 32 matches in the 2017–18 season, helping them finish fourth in the Swiss Super League and qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
He joined Spanish club Levante in August 2018, but his spell was hampered by injuries and lack of playing time. He scored only one goal in 17 matches for Levante in two seasons.
He was loaned to Danish club Vejle Boldklub in September 2020, where he scored three goals in 16 matches in the 2020–21 season, helping them avoid relegation from the Danish Superliga.
He moved to Albanian club KF Egnatia in January 2023, where he has scored four goals in 10 matches so far in the 2022–23 season.
Raphael Dwamena Wife: Was Raphael Dwamena married?
Raphael Dwamena was reportedly married to Mavis Acheampong, a Ghanaian nurse.
They allegedly tied the knot in a private ceremony in Accra in December 2019.
Raphael Dwamena Children: Did Raphael Dwamena have kids?
Raphael Dwamena allegedly had one child, a son named Raphael Dwamena Junior, who was born in March 2020.
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