Footballers who we have lost throughout the years

One of the best players in football history, Maradona solidified his legacy through a unique style of play that captured the world.

Maradona passed away at 60 in Buenos Aires in November of 2020 due to pulmonary oedema and heart failure, he was battling a brain injury.

One of the best football talents to ever come out of Scotland according to many.  He was known for a unique style of play that kept both audience and opponents on their feet.

The football star suffered a brain haemorrhage and passed away in a hospital in Glasgow in 1995. 

Sócrates was selected to be part of the FIFA 100 list of the world's greatest living players in March 2004. He is one of the many icons of Brazilian football.

Sócrates suffered from gastrointestinal bleeding caused by cirrhosis of the liver, a disease exacerbated by his addiction to drinking and cigarettes. He also caught food poisoning which exasperated his condition and led to his death in 2011. 

Speed was one of the footballing figures that pushed the sport forward in Wales. He was a player who later became the national team manager, which helped him become a beloved figure of Wales football.

Gary Speed's body was discovered by his wife Louise after having committed suicide by hanging. He reportedly battled depression for many years.

Andrés Escobar was a football player from Colombia, he played for the national team and Atlético Nacional.

Andrés was murdered in 1994. It is alleged that the reason he was targeted was an own goal he scored which eliminated the national team. There were 120,000 attendees in his funeral.

Ricksen played in the Netherlands and Scotland. He played for the Glasgow Rangers and has won multiple Scottish cups across his 19-year career.

Ricksen was a diagnosed with motor neuron disease—a disorder in which neurons transmit electrical signals into muscles, impairing their normal function. He died six years after his diagnosis on 18 September 2019.

Foé garnered his notoriety after playing in the French Division 1 and the English Premier League. He was an outstanding defensive midfielder.

During the peak of his career Foé suffered from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy that led to an untimely demise.

One of the most promising goalkeepers in Germany, Enke earned 8 caps for his country.

Enke committed suicide in 2009, he suffered from depression for 6 years. Details about why he took this tragic step remains unknown to this day.

He is a Spanish player who spent all of his career in Sevilla. As time passed, he slowly became one of the most beloved Sevilla players.

Puerta blacked out in the 35th minute of a match against Getafe at the Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium in 2007. He passed away later due to post-anoxic encephalopathy and multiple organ failure brought on by prolonged cardiac arrest.

Pelé is of the most known football figures on the planet. A true icon that has etched his name in the history books by creating magic on the field. He later became the Minister of Sports of Brazil.

Pelé succumbed to cancer at the age of 82 on 29 December 2022.