After former Ghanaian international Christian Atsu was discovered dead, nearly two weeks after a devastating earthquake in Turkey, young players and an amateur football team in the nation’s capital Accra are reacting. Nana Kweku-Ajimai, the founder of Ghana Project Football Club, claims that “this is a good soul taken out of the community and taken out of the country.”
“Christian Atsu’s good deeds are all visible to the public. helping the less fortunate in their local communities, in his own village, in Accra, throughout Ghana, and everywhere else. playing for the Ghanaian national team, the Black Stars, and everything he has accomplished for the team. People are inspired to play football now because of him. Christian will thus live on in our memories forever. He isn’t here physically, but his spirit is.” added Kweku-Ajimai.
Murat Uzunmehmet, Atsu’s manager in Turkey, told DHA news agency on Saturday that his body had been discovered beneath the ruins of luxury apartments that had collapsed in the southern Turkish province of Hatay.
Initial reports that the former Newcastle and Chelsea player had been saved a day after the earthquake proved to be untrue.
“We have arrived at his dead body. His possessions are still being taken away. Also discovered was his phone, Uzunmehmet informed DHA.
The foreign affairs ministry of Ghana announced that it had “received the unfortunate news.” The body was discovered in the presence of Christian Atsu’s older brother, twin sister, and an embassy officer, according to a statement from the ministry.
Ghana stated that it was coordinating with the Turkish government to arrange for the return of Atsu’s body for burial in his native country.
On February 5, hours before the earthquake, midfielder Atsu scored the final of his 33 career goals for Hatayspor in Turkey’s Super Lig.
His Turkish top-flight club tweeted, “There are no words to express our sadness.
The term “Special person”
“Atsu, we won’t forget you. May peace be with you, lovely person.
Prior to moving permanently to Newcastle in 2017, he spent his first four seasons of his career at Chelsea, mostly on loan.
In a statement, Chelsea said: “Christian Atsu is confirmed as one of the numerous victims of the terrible earthquake in Turkey and Syria. This news is received by Chelsea Football Club with enormous sadness.”
Newcastle also paid tribute to “a special person” who was “a talented player.”
He will always be remembered with affection by our players, staff, and supporters, the club continued.
Before making a permanent move to assist us in regaining our Premier League status, he initially joined on loan and played a significant part in the Magpies team that won the Championship in 2017.
Atsu’s first of 65 senior caps for Ghana on the international stage came in 2012.
He scored three goals in a hat-trick as Nigeria defeated Guinea 3-0 in the quarterfinals of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. Atsu won both the Player and Goal of the Tournament awards as the Black Stars advanced to the final but fell to the Ivory Coast on penalties. Additionally, he traveled to Brazil for the 2014 World Cup with the Ghanaian team.
Atsu’s body was discovered by search and rescue personnel in the Ronesans Residence, a high-rise luxury apartment building that collapsed in Antakya city in Hatay, where he was staying.
According to state news agency Anadolu, Turkish police detained the building’s contractor last week at the airport in Istanbul as he appeared to be traveling to Montenegro.
Ghana’s Football Federation noted that “the sad news” had come “after almost two weeks of emotional torture,” while the African football governing body CAF expressed their sorrow over “the tragic passing of Christian Atsu.”
“Football has lost one of its finest personnel and ambassadors, one who will be difficult to replace,” said Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo.
Ada Foah Atsu, who was born on January 10, 1992, is survived by his wife and three kids.
