Some of the big names in African football and the broader world game took to social media on Friday evening to pay their tributes to Dinamo Bucharest midfielder Patrick Ekeng.
The Cameroon international passed away on Friday evening after collapsing during the Romanian giants’ home match against Viitorul.
The 26-year-old entered as a 62nd-minute substitute, but fell to the turf seven minutes later without making contact with an opponent.
The midfielder was taken to the local Floreasca Emergency Hospital [Associated Press via Daily Mail], but was later pronounced dead by doctors.
Ekeng’s tragic passing prompted a major outpouring among the African football community on social media, with numerous stars of the continent’s game taking to Twitter to pay their respects for their fallen colleague.
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Among those to have paid their respects to Ekeng are Razak Brimah, Ghana’s Number One, his former teammate at Spanish side Cordoba, Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o, and Manchester United forward Anthony Martial.
Similarly, international teammates Stephane Mbia and Aurelien Chedjou of Galatasaray also took to social media to dedicate a word to their international colleague.
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Tel un soldat au front,tu es parti de façon tragique comme nous révèlent ces images????.Reposes en paix #patrickekeng???????? pic.twitter.com/5tNKz0Ux2P
— Samuel Eto’o (@setoo9) May 6, 2016
???????????????????????????????? https://t.co/1bsUCAiaKb
— Leroy Lita (@LeroyLita8) May 6, 2016
Rip Patrick Ekeng ????????
— Anthony Martial (@AnthonyMartial) May 6, 2016
Les mots me manquent,RIP Patrick … pic.twitter.com/L9d2jKUlPb
— henri bedimo (@henribedimo) May 6, 2016
Very sad by tragic death on the field of play in Romania of Cameroonian Patrick Ekeng.Sincere condolences to all African football family-RIP
— Michocoach (@michocoach) May 6, 2016
Triste nouvelle.Le monde du foot est endeuillé aujourd’hui
R.I.P Patrick Ekeng ????— Hassoun6camara (@HassCamara6) May 6, 2016
Quelle tristesse de perdre un frère… Repose en paix ???? Pensées pour sa famille et ses proches #RipEkeng https://t.co/JGpTZsxgjw
— Landry Nguemo (@landry_nguemo) May 6, 2016
Rip à toi le lion Pat Ekeng
— didier ovono (@didier_ovono) May 6, 2016
Rip à Patrick Ekeng .. Triste nouvelle ce soir 🙁
— Chris Mavinga (@Chris_Mavinga) May 6, 2016
Our cameroon football family has lost a brother. I cannot believe this. Condolences to his family. RIP Patrick Ekeng pic.twitter.com/lFRRrs4uhR
— Stephane Mbia (@StephaneMbia) May 6, 2016
Too sad, thoughts go out to his family. ???? https://t.co/sEJYjDrrSo
— Tope Obadeyi (@Topeobadeyi) May 6, 2016
Le football endeuillé ???????? RIP Patrick Ekeng Une pensée pour tous ses proches
— Habib Beye (@BeyeHabib) May 6, 2016
RIP Patrick Ekeng
— Matthew Rusike (@mattyrusike) May 6, 2016
Rip Patrick Ekeng ???? Grosse pensée pour la famille et les proches ????????#Tousunis
— Sacko (@miimosaa) May 6, 2016
WE ARE NOTHING IN THIS WORLD! NO SOMOS NADIE EN ESTE MUNDO! ????????????R.I.P???????????? my friend ekeng20 https://t.co/6XwRKAqytM
— Razak.131 (@RazakBrimah) May 6, 2016
Bad news,triste nouvelle #rip Patrick Ekeng ????????????
— Jerry VanDam (@JerryVanDam8) May 6, 2016
Un lion ne meurt jamais,il se repose,les mots me manquent????????????????????RIP pic.twitter.com/TG0BjSxqkB
— Aurelien Chedjou (@AurelienChedjou) May 6, 2016