Ghana international forward and former Premier League player Christian Atsu tragically died at the age of 31 in the devastating earthquake that struck Turkey and Syria in February 2023.
Atsu was playing for the Turkish club Hatayspor in the heavily affected Hatay province and was residing in a luxury 12-story building in the city of Antakya when the quake struck.
Recovery and Repatriation
- Recovery: Atsu’s body was recovered from the ruins of the collapsed building on a Saturday (February 18, 2023), as confirmed by his manager, Murat Uzunmehmet.
- The Final Goal: Just hours before the disaster, Atsu had scored the winning goal in a 1-0 victory for Hatayspor over Kasimpasa.
- False Report: A day after the earthquake, there were mistaken reports that Atsu had been rescued – a claim the club initially supported before confirming it was incorrect.
Tributes
The footballer’s death prompted an outpouring of tributes from the global football community and national leaders:
- Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo posted a photo of Atsu, mourning the loss of one of Ghana football’s finest personnel and ambassadors, stating he would be “difficult to replace, and would be sorely missed.”
I extend sincere, heartfelt condolences to the widow, children and family of our fellow Ghanaian, Christian Atsu, on the sad news of his death. Ghana football has lost one of its finest personnel and ambassadors, one who will be difficult to replace. He’ll be sorely missed. 1/2 pic.twitter.com/CqTkEsY4Op
— Nana Akufo-Addo (@NAkufoAddo) February 18, 2023
- English Premiership side Chelsea, one of the clubs Atsu played for, wrote on Twitter: “Everyone at Chelsea Football Club is devastated to learn of the tragic passing of our former player, Christian Atsu. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends.”
- Newcastle United, a former club of the player in the English Premiership back in 2017, wrote on Twitter: “We are profoundly saddened to learn that Christian Atsu has tragically lost his life in Turkey’s devastating earthquakes. A talented player and a special person, he will always be fondly remembered by our players, staff, and supporters. Rest in peace, Christian.”
Christian Atsu earned over 60 caps for the Ghana national team, scoring on his 2012 debut. He played in the 2014 World Cup and was named the Player of the Tournament at the 2015 African Cup of Nations, where he helped Ghana reach the final.
