“This is not normal”: Arne Espeel vaccination fears surface in wake of footballer's tragic death at 25 

Belgian goalkeeper Arne Espeel tragically passed away at the age of 25. The athlete reportedly collapsed on the pitch after saving a penalty for his team during a match on Saturday at Sint-Eloois-Winkel in the West Flanders Province.

Espeel, who played for Winkel Sport B in the second provincial division of West Brabant in Belgium, saved a goal against Westrozebeke after the latter were awarded a penalty 15 minutes into the second half of the game.

The footballer collapsed shortly after the save and emergency services failed to resuscitate him on the spot. Espeel was immediately taken to the hospital and pronounced dead on the spot.

As the news of his shocking demise made the rounds online, some social media users shared unconfirmed conspiracy theories that prompted fears about COVID-19 vaccines causing sudden deaths in young people.

Robby Starbuck took to Twitter to claim that Arne Espeel’s death was “not normal” and urged major sports leagues to investigate the sudden deaths of young athletes:

Winkel Sport B issued an official statement, mourning the sudden loss on behalf of the club:

“Winkel Sport is in very deep mourning by the sudden death of Arne Espeel. We wish family and friends of Arne our heartfelt condolences in this heavy loss. Football is an afterthought.”

Winkle manager Patrick Rotsaert also remembered Espeel and said everyone was shocked following the tragedy:

“This is a disaster and a shock to everyone. Arne had been with the club all his life and was very loved. He was a wonderfully sympathetic boy, always in a good mood and willing to help. This is really a heavy blow. First of all for his family and also our entire club.”

According to Belgian news, more than 1,000 people, including Espeel's family, walked in silence to pay tribute to Espeel in Sint-Eloois-Winkel, where his team plays in a village in West Flanders.

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Social media users react to Arne Espeel’s sudden demise

Arne Espeel's sudden demise sparked COVID-19 vaccine theories online (Image via Leogaard/Twitter)

Belgian soccer star Arne Espeel suddenly passed away after collapsing on the field following a penalty save during an ongoing match on Saturday. Emergency services attempted to resuscitate him using a defibrillator but the athlete was pronounced dead upon arriving at the hospital.

The news of Espeel’s sudden demise left several people in shock. Several social media users were also divided over the theories surrounding the reason behind his passing. Some individuals, especially anti-vaxxers, took to Twitter to share their conspiracy theories about Espeel’s death being connected to COVID-19 vaccine:

Meanwhile, others responded to the claims and slammed people who made conspiracy theories about the player’s death:

As reactions continue to pour in online, the reason behind Arne Espeel’s death remains unknown. None of his family members or close sources have revealed if the athlete was vaccinated or if his death was connected to the jab.

According to Sky News, Espeel’s autopsy was scheduled to take place on Monday to determine the cause of his death.

Arne Espeel reportedly made his senior team debut for RSC Anderlecht in the 2019-2020 season and soon became a regular part of the playing 11. He delivered an impressive performance and earned his first call-up to join the Belgian national team in 2020.

Espeel debuted as part of the national team in a friendly match against the Netherlands in September 2020. He was considered one of the most promising young Belgian soccer players.