Brighton midfielder, Enock Mwepu, on Monday, announced that his football career had come to end after he was diagnosed with a hereditary heart condition.
Mwepu made the announcement via a statement on his verified Twitter page.
He said; “A boy from a small Zambian township called Chambishi has some news to share. He stood strong to follow his dream of playing football at the highest level and by the grace of God, he lived his dream by reaching the Premier League.”
“Some dreams however come to an end, so it is with sadness that I announce the need to hang my boots because of the medical advice I have received. This is however not the end of my involvement with football, I plan to stay involved in some capacity.”
It was reported that Mwepu fell ill while on a flight to join his Zambia teammates during the International break last month.
The heart condition is so severe that Mwepu would likely suffer a cardiac arrest, should he continue to play football.
Brighton chairman Tony Bloom, in his reaction to the shocking news said; “We are all absolutely devastated for Enock.
“As a club we will give him all the love, help and support we possibly can to make a full recovery, and then as he decides on the next steps in his life.”