Zambia’s captain forced to end career at just 24 due to heart issues

Shocking news from England today – Brighton midfielder and Zambia’s national team captain Enock Mwepu has been forced to end his football career at the age of 24 due to heart problems. The condition, which can worsen over time, would put Enock at an extremely high risk of suffering a potentially fatal cardiac event if he were to continue playing competitive football.

Enock was taken ill while on a flight to join up with Zambia during the international break and after a period in hospital in Mali he returned to Brighton to undergo further cardiac tests and ongoing care. These tests have concluded that his illness is due to a hereditary cardiac condition, which manifests later in life and was not previously evident on regular cardiac screening. Sadly this can be exacerbated by playing sport so Enock has been advised that the only option, for the sake of his own safety, is for him to stop playing football.

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His club was in shock, just as the player himself was, after hearing the news.

“I am so sorry for Enock. Before I arrived I looked at all the squad, and he was a player I was so excited and looking forward to working with. We will do everything we can to help him“ Roberto De Zerbi.

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The player himself posted a statement on his Twitter account.

„A boy from a small Zambian township called Chambishi has some news to share. 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. Some dreams, however, come to an end so it is with sadness that I announce the need to hang up my boots because of the medical advice I have received. This is, however, not the end of my involvement with football. I plan to stay involved in some capacity. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that supported me in my football journey, including my wife and family, my agent 12MAN, the Zambian FA, all my previous clubs, team-mates and coaches and especially everyone at Brighton & Hove Albion“ said the Zambian.

Mwepu has played six Premier League games for Brighton this season, with his most recent appearance coming in the 5-2 victory over Leicester on September 4. The 24-year-old has been missing from the squad for all of the Seagulls' last four matches since the recent international break.