Joe Thompson, the British soccer player who played midfield for Rochdale AFC, died on April 17, 2025, his wife revealed the next day. He was 36 years old. As fans grapple with the profound loss, many are wondering what happened to Joe and how he could have died at such a young age.
Joe’s wife, Chantelle Thompson, shared a tribute on Instagram to her late husband, which read, “Rest in Eternal Peace.”
“The words I thought I would never have to write. … Our brave and courageous Joey passed away in the early hours of Thursday morning,” she wrote. “Joe has made such an impact on so many people, and we are all forever grateful for him blessing us with his presence and for being so strong and staying with us as long as he did against all the odds.”
Below, keep reading to learn more about Joe’s life, career and death.
Joe, a native of Bath, England, was a soccer player who was a midfielder for multiple teams aside from Rochdale: Tranmere Rovers, Carlisle United, Southport and Bury.
Joe died after battling stage IV lymphoma, per Us Weekly, a diagnosis that was revealed last year. Chantelle also acknowledge in her Instagram tribute to him.
