Enock Mwepu still had his best years as a footballer ahead of him. Now it has to stop. A serious heart condition forced him to do so.
Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion footballer Enock Mwepu has been forced to retire aged just 24 after the Zambian international was diagnosed with an inherited heart condition. This disease, which can worsen with age, poses “an extremely high risk of suffering a life-threatening cardiac arrest if he continues to play competitive football”, his club explained on Monday.
The player felt ill during a flight to join Zambia during the last international break in September, and after hospitalization in Mali, he underwent further tests on his return to England. “These examinations concluded that his disease is due to an inherited heart condition which manifests later in life and which was not detectable during regular cardiac examinations until now,” detailed the club.
“The condition, which can worsen over time, would put Enock at extremely high risk of life-threatening cardiac arrest if he continues to play football,” Brighton said.
At the same time, Mwepu went public with the end of his career on social media.
Mwepu wants to stay connected with football
“Some dreams come to an end. I therefore announce with sadness that I have to hang up my football boots on medical advice,” Mwepu wrote on Twitter in an open letter to the Zambia Football Association.
“However, this is not the end of my football journey as I hope to be able to support the team in other ways.” Colleagues expressed dismay. Brighton have pledged their full support for Mwepu.
Mwepu joined the Premier League club in the summer of 2021. Previously, the midfielder played in Austria for Red Bull Salzburg for four years.
He stood strong to follow his dream of playing football at the highest level, and by the grace of God he lived his dream by reaching the Premier League.
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