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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
National
Elliott Ryder

Funeral held for former Everton player Christian Atsu after earthquake tragedy

The state funeral of former Everton midfielder Christian Atsu has taken place in his home country of Ghana.

The Premier League star, who also pulled on the shirt for Newcastle and Chelsea, was tragically killed when a huge earthquake hit Turkey and Syria last month. The 31-year-old was playing for Hatayspor at the time and his body was recovered from the rubble where his apartment building once stood.

The event was attended by hundreds of mourners who came out to the capital city of Accra to pay their respects to the footballer. Those in attendance included Ghana's president as well as the manager of the Ghanaian national team Chris Hughton.

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Atsu was identified 12 days after the earthquake initially struck and his body was flown back from Turkey to Ghana for the state funeral. He is now expected to be laid to rest in his home village in the south-eastern region of the country.

The midfielder's coffin was flanked by military pallbearers as it was carried down the aisle outside Ghana's State House. It was also draped in Ghana's national flag.

He represented his country 65 times and was an integral part of the squad that reached the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final, and he was awarded both goal and player of the tournament. Atsu spent the 2014-2015 season on loan to Everton.

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