FORMER PREMIER LEAGUE STRIKER CHRISTIAN BENITEZ DIES SUDDENLY OF SUSPECTED HEART ATTACK AGED 27

Christian Benitez, pictured receiving the award for top scorer during the Balon de Oro Awards in Mexico City, has apparently died of a heart attack.

Tribute: Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia (left) posted this photo of him and friend Benitez.

Tragic: Christian Benitez, who played for Birmingham City, has died suddenly at 27.

Star: Benitez (right) won 58 caps for Ecuador, including this World Cup Qualifier against Peru last month.

Blue: 'Chucho' Benitez made 36 appearances for Birmingham City while on loan in the 2009-10 season

The club also tweeted, saying: 'RIP Christian 'Chucho' Benitez. Forever in our hearts.

'The thoughts of all at Birmingham City Football Club are with the friends and family of Chucho following this very sad news. #RIP'

The midlands side also revealed plans to commemorate Benitez in their opening Championship game at home to Watford.

Monaco's £52million star signing Falcao also posted his condolences in Spanish.

Former Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba, who almost died on the pitch.

Football has been blighted by heart conditions hitting seemingly healthy young players.

Fabrice Muamba, 25, was forced to retire from the game after collapsing on the pitch from a cardiac arrest in March last year at Tottenham’s White Hart Lane ground.

The former England Under-21 midfielder was effectively dead for 78 minutes when his heart stopped beating during an FA Cup match for Bolton at Tottenham.

Just a month later an Italian footballer collapsed on the pitch and died from a heart attack in front of horrified teammates and supporters.

Former under 21 international Piermario Morosini, 25, who played for Livorno, was seen to tremble before falling to his knees and never regained consciousness.

The heart defect that most commonly kills young athletes is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.