Hoffenheim wanted him in winter
16-year-old has to end a career for heart defects
10.03.2025 – 1:18 p.m.Reading time: 1 min.
Sad news from Ireland. There, a 16-year football talent has to end his career prematurely.
Only a change in winter to the Bundesliga in 1899 Hoffenheim failed-now 16-year-old Ben Dumigan had to end his career. This was announced by his Irish club, Cork City.
Hoffenheim saw a lot of potential in the young central defender and even invited him to Germany for a medical check. Then the shock: a heart defect was found at Dumigan, and there was no change. Just a few months later the complete career-off. Dumigan in a club announcement: “The diagnosis has been a shock and the last few weeks was very challenging.”
As Cork City announced, Ben Dumigan suffered from a hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This means that there is a pathological thickening of the heart muscle, which arises from a reaction to a continuous and increased strain on the heart. For example through high blood pressure. A great danger for professional athletes, competitive sports are no longer conceivable.
“I never thought that I had to announce my resignation from competitive sports at such a young age,” said Dumigan. “Even if I can never play football again, the diagnosis may have saved my life, and I am very grateful for that.”