Christian Atsu, who has been missing since the massive earthquake hit Turkey and Syria earlier last week, was found dead in the rubble. (Photo by Serena Taylor/Newcastle United via Getty Images)
Christian Atsu, a Ghanaian soccer star who played in a World Cup and English Premier League, has been found dead under earthquake debris in Turkey. he was 31
Search teams recovered Atsu’s body from the ruins of the building where he lived in Antakya, the city in Hatay province hardest hit by the 7.8-magnitude quake that killed at least 45,000 people in Turkey and Syria became.
Atsu played for Hatayspor, a Turkish Super Lig club from the southeastern city. On Sunday February 5, just hours before the earthquake struck, he scored a crucial goal against Kasimpaşa.
He had moved to Turkey after stints at nine different clubs in five other countries. He broke through as a teenage winger with FC Porto in Portugal before signing for Chelsea in England. He later spent five seasons at Newcastle United from 2016 to 2021.
The news of his death, which was confirmed by his representatives, sparked grief from those clubs, from his former teammates and across football around the world.
“There are no words to describe our sadness,” Hatayspor said in the Club’s first tweet since the quake.
Hatayspor said Atsu’s body will be transported back to his hometown in Ghana.
Atsu was born in the coastal town of Ada Foah, east of Accra. As a child he moved to several football academies around the country before moving to Europe. He then made his debut for Ghana’s senior national team at the age of 20.
Aged 22, he represented his nation at the 2014 World Cup. Just six months later he featured at the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations and was named Player of the Tournament. Overall, he played more than 60 times for Ghana.
“We would like to offer our deepest condolences to his wife and children, family, loved ones and the football community,” the country’s football association said in a statement.
Nana Akufo-Addo, the nation’s president, added in a statement: “Ghana football has lost one of its best associates and ambassadors, one who will be difficult to replace. He will be sorely missed.”
The story goes on
Not long after the earthquake, amid reports that Atsu was missing, Hatayspor announced that he had been found alive. However, the club soon corrected their statement, saying the information they had received was incorrect. Atsu and the club’s sporting director Taner Savut have been missing for over a week and Savut has yet to be found.
Both lived in the 12-storey Ronesans Rezidans building, which has become the subject of local outrage for its shabby construction. It had been advertised as “a piece of paradise” and “earthquake proof”. But it collapsed on February 6, one of an estimated 84,700 buildings to collapse or be damaged during the quake.
His collapse left many residents’ families fearing the worst. The builder was reportedly arrested at Istanbul Airport last week and was apparently trying to flee the country.
Atsu’s family members had traveled to Turkey to find him while search teams sifted through the rubble. His body and some belongings were finally recovered this week.
“My deepest condolences to his family and loved ones,” his agent tweeted.
Hatayspor also stated in tweets that other club staff – Huseyin Danahaliloglua youth goalkeeping coach; Susan Berber, a member of the kitchen staff; And Onur Akdeniza member of the first team – was killed in the earthquake, the death toll from which continues to rise.
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