Fans of the late Ghanaian football star Christian Atsu, who died in the earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, have taken to their various social media accounts to show how sad they are about his death.
On February 6, a 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, taking the lives of almost 43,000 people in both countries. Atsu, age 31, was among those who perished in the quake.
Even though there were initial reports that he had been rescued one day after the earthquake, the news turned out to be false as his manager in Turkey, Murat Uzunmehmet, told DHA news agency on Saturday that his body had been found under the rubble in the Turkish southern province of Hatay.
“We have arrived at his body, which is motionless.” The removal of his personal items is still ongoing. “Also, his phone was located,” Uzunmehmet reported to DHA.
Christian Atsu, a Ghanaian footballer, was discovered dead after an earthquake.
Also, his old team, Newcastle United, confirmed his death in a statement early Saturday morning. It said, “We are terribly saddened to learn that our former player Christian Atsu died in the terrible earthquakes in Turkey.”
Our players, coaches, and fans will always hold a special place in their hearts for him since he was both a remarkable person and a gifted athlete. Between 2016 and 2021, Christian played 121 times for our club. During that time, he was a proud Ghanaian and played in 65 international games for his country.
But since it was reported that the football hero had passed away, condolences and tributes have been flooding in to console his family and friends, particularly on Twitter.
For example, the Premier League released the following statement on its official Twitter handle while remembering the late football player Christian Atsu:
“We are deeply saddened by the news that Christian Atsu lost his life in the devastation caused by the earthquakes that have hit Turkey and Syria.” Our prayers, thoughts, and condolences are with Christian’s family and friends, as well as everyone else whose lives have been impacted by this terrible occurrence.
Owuraku Ampofo, a sports journalist, took a trip down memory lane and said, under the verified handle @owurakuampofo, that while he was alive, the late Atsu purchased football boots from some of his fellow colleagues just for the purpose of donating them to charity. Also, he referred to the deceased football player as a “genuinely decent person.”
In his letter, he said, “I recall when Christian Atsu came to Ghana two years ago and brought a great pile of football boots to contribute to charity from himself and a few friends.” He was an honest and upstanding member of Ghanaian society, and his passing will be keenly felt by all. This is a very trying experience.
In addition, the Chelsea Football Club has expressed their sorrow over the loss of the late football hero on their verified Twitter account, writing, “Everyone at Chelsea Football Club is devastated to learn of the tragic passing of our former player, Christian Atsu.” Our prayers are with him, his family, and all of his friends.
Also, Newcastle United FC took to their verified Twitter handle to express their condolences following the passing of the footballer. They spoke highly of Atsu as both a skilled player and a remarkable individual.
The club wrote in a tweet, “We are extremely grieved to discover that Christian Atsu has sadly lost his life as a result of Turkey’s horrific earthquakes.”
Our players, coaches, and fans will always hold a special place in their hearts for him since he was not only a gifted athlete but also a remarkable person. Christian, may you finally rest in peace.
