Belgian Goalkeeper Dies After Catching Penalty

A 25-year-old goalkeeper died suddenly during a football match in West Flanders, Belgium on Saturday evening.

Arne Espeel, a goalkeeper of the Winkel Sport B, has died on the spot after stopping a penalty kick in the second half of the match.

According to a local news outlet VRT, the young goalkeeper of Sint-Eloois-Winkel stopped the penalty kick, but he then collapsed.

“The ball was still in play,” assistant coach Stefaan Dewerchin of Winkel Sport B said. “Our goalkeeper got up as quickly as possible to get the ball, but he fell down afterwards. It was really terrible to see.”

The game was immediately stopped.

The emergency services quickly arrived on site and tried to revive the 25-year-old goalkeeper for half an hour.

Arne Espeel has been the goalkeeper of Winkel Sport B for years. © VDB

A 25-year-old goalkeeper died suddenly during a football match in West Flanders, Belgium on Saturday evening.

See Also: AKA Dies In City His Late Girlfriend Nelli Tembe Was Born

According to a local news outlet VRT, the young goalkeeper of Sint-Eloois-Winkel stopped the penalty kick, but he then collapsed.

“The ball was still in play,” assistant coach Stefaan Dewerchin of Winkel Sport B said. “Our goalkeeper got up as quickly as possible to get the ball, but he fell down afterwards. It was really terrible to see.”

The game was immediately stopped.

The emergency services quickly arrived on site and tried to revive the 25-year-old goalkeeper for half an hour.

Espeel was then rushed to the hospital, but he was later declared dead on arrival.

“The players all showered together after the incident and then we sat down in the canteen,” says Dewerchin. “When the message came that our goalkeeper had died, what an unusually hard blow. I think some players do not yet realize what exactly happened.”

No details have been released yet on the cause of death. An autopsy will be conducted on Monday, according to VRT.