Cover Photo Credit: Instagram

Los Angeles, CA | Jan 1, 2020 | Kelly Landaverde – @Kel_landaverde

Women United wishes everyone a Happy New Year. But I also want to take the time to honor some of the young professional soccer players that have died this year.

Leidy Asprilla

This young Colombian soccer player played for Oromarso and represented the Colombian under-20 national team in the 2016 Summer Olympics. One day she left her home on her motorcycle to attend training session in Palmira but never made it. She had reportedly been on her way to pick up her teammate but never reached her. On May 19th she was reported as missing. Several days later, her body was found on the side of the road between Cerrito and Rozo in Valle del Cauca on a nearby highway close to her motorcycle. After an autopsy, local police announced that she had died in a traffic accident, rather than by being kidnapped or murdered as previously suggested. Asprilla was still wearing her helmet and team cap. The forward was only 22-years old.

Diana González

The tragic and sudden loss of this Mexican club América player who was just 26-years old left a deep reflective wound in the women’s soccer world due to the circumstances of her death. Diana was participating in training as her team prepared to play against Cruz Azul. The cause of death was officially ruled as hypoglycemia.

Florijana Ismaili

Florijans Ismaili had played for the BSC Young Boys women’s team, the Swiss FC Walperswil, and was on Switzerland’s National Women’s team, making 33 international appearance in five years before her untimely death in Italy last July. Ismaili debuted with the Swiss National team in 2014, and had moved from Switzerland to Italy with her friend who was with her at the time of the incident.

A robotic diving apparatus and rescue team found the lifeless body of the 24-year-old Swiss international player at the bottom of Lake Como three days after she had gone missing during a swimming incident. She did not surface after jumping from a boat she had rented with a friend.

Most reports suggest she may have suffered hydrocution. Hydrocution is basically a shock of temperatures. For example, when we throw ourselves into cold water after a prolonged period in excessive heat, it can give us a shock and cause loss of consciousness. Ismaili and her friend had been sunbathing on a 91-degrees Fahrenheit day before she had jumped into the cold waters of Lake Como.

Alba Esteban Frau

19-year-old Mallorcan player Alba Esteban Frau in a motorcycle accident was heading to Sóller last August. According to traffic police, the motorcyle in which she was riding with a companion was clipped by a passing car and hit a wall. The two passengers in the car suffered minor injuries. Frau, who suffered fatal injuries, passed away in the hospital two days after the accident. She had played for Atlético Rafal, Son Oliva, Athletic Marratxí and Recreativo La Victoria.