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Jens (27) collapses on the football field and dies: “This is not… (Maldegem)

Maldegem –

27-year-old Jens De Smet from Maldegem died last Saturday after becoming unwell during a football match. “It’s so unreal that he’s gone now.”

Jens played football for FCC Filosoof, a café team that plays its home matches just across the Dutch border in Eede. “The second half was underway and our opponent had just scored”, says teammate Benjamin Buysse. “Suddenly Jens sat down on the ground and not much later he was lying down in the grass. Some teammates rushed over to him and it was immediately clear that it was not okay. Someone started CPR on Jens and we immediately called an ambulance. When emergency services arrived, they took over CPR. A little later they took him to the hospital in Bruges. A day later we got the news that Jens hadn’t made it…”

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Jens De Smet (bottom, second from left) played for FCC Filosoof.

Foto: if

The match was stopped and all those present were obviously very shaken. The news of Jens’ death was a blow to his teammates. “Jens had never had any health problems. It’s so unreal that he’s gone now. One of the next few days we will all get together to give this news a place. But it is clear that our head is not focused on football right now.”

Jens De Smet was a well-known figure in Meetjesland football. He played for KSK Maldegem, KVV Zelzate, FC Kleit and Akkers Middelburg, among others. His last club was VK Adegem. “We are all devastated by Jens’ passing. Certainly our group of players,” says chairman Gerard Van Landschoot. “It is unimaginable that a healthy young man dies so suddenly and early. We wish the family a lot of strength in these difficult times.”

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