Latvian football has bid farewell to Andrejs Prohorenkovs, the former national team striker and one of the key figures in Latvia’s EURO 2004 campaign, who passed away on May 1 at the age of 48. The Latvian Football Federation (LFF) has extended its condolences to his family and colleagues.
Andrejs Prohorenkovs made his international debut in 2002 against Poland, quickly establishing himself as a regular starter for the national team. By 2007, he had 32 caps and four goals to his name. He played a crucial role in Latvia’s historic European Championship appearance in 2004, starting every match in Portugal. His most memorable contribution came in the clash against Czechia, where his assist set up Māris Verpakovskis for Latvia’s only goal of the tournament.
Beyond his national team success, Prohorenkovs built an illustrious club career, representing teams in Latvia, Poland, Spain, Israel, and Greece. He concluded his playing career in his hometown of Ogre, before transitioning into coaching and working with young players in Ikšķile and other locations. During his time on the pitch, Prohorenkovs was crowned champion in both Latvia and Israel, solidifying his legacy.
In late 2023, he was diagnosed with cancer, and thanks to the Latvian football community, funds for his treatment at Karl Gustav University Clinic in Germany were raised in record time. His family has expressed deep gratitude to all who supported him during his battle with the illness.
To commemorate Prohorenkovs, the Latvian Football Federation mandated that all matches in the upcoming days start with a minute of silence.
