Tragedy struck earlier this week when former Champions League player Gabriel Muresan, a Romanian national, passed away in a drowning accident at a lake, according to reports from local media outlets.
The 44-year-old was pronounced dead after he was pulled from the water by firefighters and transported to a nearby hospital, where efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.
Firefighters reportedly pulled him from a lake midweek and he was rushed to a local hospital, but medics couldn’t revive him.
Initial investigations suggest that the incident may have been triggered by thermal shock upon entering the lake, contributing to the unfortunate series of events.
Aside from his athletic achievements, Muresan was also serving as the mayor of Apold, a town in Transylvania, since his election in 2020. The local town hall has issued a statement following the sad news of his passing.
“Today we are all experiencing great pain. We express our deep sadness at the news of the passing away of Gabi Muresan, mayor and devoted servant of our community,” his town hall announced.
“In these moments of difficult trial, we send sincere condolences to the grieving family and to all those who knew and cherished him.”
“Our community will keep his memory alive, and will be grateful for everything he did for the people and for the Apold commune.”
The Romanian soccer federation also paid tribute to Muresan.
“The Romanian Football Federation sends its most sincere condolences to the family, friends, and all those who knew Gabriel Muresan,” the statement said. “May God rest him!”
The midfielder had an illustrious career and was best remembered for his stint with CFR Cluj, where he made over 130 appearances and won three Liga I titles, along with three Romanian Cups.
He also captained Cluj during historic UEFA Champions League campaigns and competed in group-stage matches against powerhouses like Manchester United, Chelsea and AS Roma.