Pulse List: 12 Tragic Deaths That Broke the Hearts of the Sports Fraternity in 2025

The year 2025 will be remembered in global sporting history as one marked not only by elite performances and historic victories, but also by deep sorrow. Across football and the wider sporting world, the deaths of celebrated athletes, pioneers, administrators, journalists and supporters cast a long shadow over the game.

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From sudden accidents to illness and crowd-related violence, these tragedies reminded fans that behind every badge, trophy and celebration are human lives. For Ghana and the international football community, 2025 became a year of collective grief and reflection, one that reignited conversations about safety, legacy, and the responsibility that comes with the world’s most popular sport.

The Death of Diogo Jota and André Silva
World football was stunned in July when Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota died in a car accident in Spain at the age of 28. At the peak of his career, Jota had established himself as a vital figure for Liverpool, scoring 65 goals and helping the club to major domestic honours. Known for his work ethic and intelligence on the pitch, his death was as sudden as it was devastating.

The tragedy deepened with the death of his younger brother, André Silva, a professional footballer with Portuguese side FC Penafiel, who also lost his life in the same accident at just 25 years old. Their passing sent shockwaves through football communities across Europe, prompting tributes from clubs, players and fans worldwide.

Ghana Loses a Founding Father of Its Football Story
In Ghana, football mourned the loss of one of its earliest and most influential heroes. Wilberforce Kwadwo Mfum, the legendary striker who scored Ghana’s first-ever Africa Cup of Nations goal in 1963, passed away on May 11, 2025, aged 88.

Mfum’s contributions went far beyond statistics. He represented Ghana at the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo and scored 20 goals in just 26 appearances for the Black Stars. His death marked the gradual passing of a generation that laid the foundations for Ghana’s football identity on the continental and global stage.

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Losses Beyond the Pitch
Football in 2025 also lost key figures who helped build and sustain the game away from the spotlight. Jonathan Abbey Pobee, a respected football administrator and founder of Neoplan Stars FC, died in June 2025. Pobee was widely credited for his contributions to club development and football administration in Ghana, particularly during formative periods of the domestic game.

The sports media fraternity was equally shaken by the deaths of Ackah Anthony and Ebo Quansah, both former Presidents of the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG). Ackah Anthony, a former assistant editor at Graphic Sports, was known for his advocacy and mentorship, while Ebo Quansah was celebrated for decades of incisive reporting and leadership. 

Mourning Beyond Football
The grief of 2025 extended far beyond football. Legendary American boxer George Foreman, a two-time world heavyweight champion and Olympic gold medallist, died in March at age 76, closing the chapter on a career that transcended sport.
Other notable deaths included Scottish athletics icon Lachie Stewart, Major League Baseball veteran Jim Breazeale, Norwegian Olympic ski cross medallist Audun Grønvold, and Canadian Paralympic wheelchair rugby legend Garett Hickling. 

Celebration Turns Tragic: PSG’s Champions League Victory
Perhaps the most sobering reminder of football’s double-edged passion came in May, following Paris Saint-Germain’s historic UEFA Champions League triumph. What should have been a moment of unrestrained joy descended into chaos in parts of Paris and other French cities.

Celebrations spiralled into unrest, resulting in two confirmed deaths, hundreds of injuries and more than 500 arrests, according to French authorities. Among the fatalities were a young man struck by a vehicle in Paris and a 17-year-old stabbed in the town of Dax. The incidents highlighted the dangers of uncontrolled mass celebrations and public safety during major football events.

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In Ghana, the deaths of pioneers like Wilberforce Mfum and respected voices like Ackah Anthony and Ebo Quansah sparked renewed calls to properly document and honour football’s past. Internationally, the loss of Diogo Jota and the PSG celebration fatalities highlighted the need for stronger safety frameworks both on and off the pitch.

As the year draws to a close, football stands united in remembrance. Their legacies now serve as both inspiration and warning.