Atsu played on Ghana’s World Cup team in 2014. Before joining Hatayspor of the Turkish Super Lig last year, he also played for Newcastle, Chelsea, Everton and Bournemouth in the Premier League, and had a brief stint with Saudi club Al Raed.
The soccer player’s whereabouts had been unknown for more than 10 days since the earthquakes this month devastated Turkey and Syria, killing more than 43,000 people and leaving many more homeless.
The Ghana Football Association and Hatayspor confirmed his body was found on Saturday. Hatayspor said the 31-year-old forward “lost his life under the rubble” and his body was being sent to Ghana for the funeral.
“We will not forget you, Atsu. Peace be upon you, beautiful person,” the club said. “There are no words to describe our sadness.”
Earlier this week, Atsu’s agent wrote that his room in a collapsed apartment building was located along with two pairs of his shoes in the hard-hit Hatay region in southern Turkey. His partner, who lives in England, had told the BBC she was praying he was still alive and that their children had learned from the radio that he was still missing, after previous reports that he had been rescued.
Rescuers in southern Turkey are still finding people under the wreckage of the quakes, which leveled entire apartment complexes and worsened the plight of millions in neighboring Syria who were already battered by war.
Hours before the temblors struck Turkey, Atsu had scored the winning goal deep in stoppage time at Hatayspor’s Super Lig match against Kasimpasa.
Many shared videos of crowds cheering for his last winning goal on social media as soccer fans and clubs paid tribute to Atsu on Saturday.
Ghanaian officials described him as a source of pride, British soccer clubs shared their condolences and hailed his talent, and sports journalists wrote of his donations to charity.
“He was genuinely a good person who the Ghanaian society will truly miss,” wrote Ghanaian sports journalist Owuraku Ampofo. “This is very painful.”
We are deeply saddened by the news Christian Atsu lost his life in the devastation of the earthquakes that have hit Turkey and Syria.
Our thoughts and condolences are with Christian’s family and friends and everyone affected by this tragic event. pic.twitter.com/GLqXdd80Xl— Premier League (@premierleague) February 18, 2023
Cindy Boren contributed to this report.
*This story has not been edited by The Infallible staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.
