Deaths in football are thankfully a relatively rare occurrence but they shock and touch the worldwide community whenever the worst strikes
Like any sport, there is an element of risk in football. The nature of the game, with its high intensity sprints, exerts an enormous toll on the bodies of players and particularly their hearts.
Any undetected defects can prove fatal and while testing has steadily improved over the years, unfortunately tragic incidents can still occur.
The risk of head injury is another pitfall that footballers face each time they step on the field, with freak accidents like that one Petr Cech suffered while playing for Chelsea against Reading capable of causing serious injury.