Sad Day in Football as Top Italian Goalkeeper Loses Long Battle to Brain Tumour at Age 28

• Italian goalkeeper Daniel Leone has been announced dead after losing long battle to a brain tumour
• The former Reggiana and Pontedera shot-stopper passed on seven years after being diagnosed with the deadly disease
• Italy international and Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo paid an emotional tribute to the goalkeeper who died at 28

Former Reggiana goalkeeper Daniel Leone has passed on at the age of 28 after enduring a brain tumour since 2014, Italy 24 News, Mirror.

The shot-stopper discovered the illness shortly after he joining the club that currently plays in Serie C.

Leone's battle for survival

Leone underwent successful surgery and return to the game in 2017 as he joined Catanzaro for another spell.

He was forced to retire from the round leather game after the recurrence of the disease as he underwent another surgery and a course of chemotherapy.

Leone had been keeping tabs with his fans on Instagram while he was recovering after hanging up his gloves.

The talented goalie finally gave up the ghost after seven years of enduring the discomfort the sickness brought to him and his family.

He once posted on his social media handle with a photo of him embracing his girlfriend and captioned it:

"Let's hold tight that all this hell will end."

Tributes to Leone

Napoli defender Giovanni Di Lorenzo also paid tribute to Leone:

"Rest in peace, my friend."

His former teammate Christian Puggioni

"After four years of battle, however, today you're gone. The emptiness you leave is immense, and some might think you lost the most important game of your life.

"You taught the courage to live through suffering with strength and hope. You taught, that you can leave your name, branded in people's memory, with example and courage."

Legendary Liverpool and England goalscorer dies at 83

Meanwhile, Legit.ng had earlier reported that Liverpool's second most prolific scorer and former England international Roger Hunt has died at the age of 83, Sky Sports, The Guardian.

Hunt was part of the Three Lions squad that won their first and only World Cup in the 1966 edition where he scored three goals in the group stages.

His 244 goals for Liverpool was only bettered by Ian Rush during his 11-year spell with the Merseyside club.

He joined the Anfield giants in 1958 and helped them gain promotion in 1962 as well as going on to win the league title in 1962 and 1964.