Former Olympique de Marseille midfielder Abdelaziz Barrada has died at the age of 35, the club said on Thursday, with the Moroccan Federation (FRMF) describing his death as a “great tragedy”.

No official cause of death has been announced for the France-born player who earned 26 caps for Morocco and was part of the side that reached the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations final in 2011.

“The club would like to offer its sincerest condolences to his family and share their grief,” Marseille, where Barrada spent two years, wrote on X.

Barrada also played for Spanish side Getafe and had stints in Turkey, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates before retiring in 2021. He also played for Paris St Germain’s reserve side.

“Paris St Germain extends its sincerest condolences to his family and friends,” PSG wrote on X.

-Reuters

Nigerian football legend, Segun Odegbami who has been at the forefront of the life-saving efforts for former Nigerian international goalkeeper, Peter Fregene, has broken the sad news of the goalkeeper.

He announced that Fregene passed on, aged 77, surrounded by his wife and two of his children.

“A few minutes ago, Peter ‘Apo’ Fregene, OLY, former goalkeeper for Nigeria’s Green Eagles, who has been on life support for the past one week, passed on to meet his creator. He died quietly in the presence of two of his children and his devoted wife, Tina,”  Odegbami wrote on Sunday.

Fregene, was a member of the Nigerian team at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico. He last played for Nigeria on 13 March 1982 when Nigeria lost 3-0 to Zambia in a Group B AFCON match in Benghazi.

For years, he had been battling with illness and spent the last week on life-support.

Moroccan Journalist, great expert on sports, poet with a sharp pen and above all a precursor of press cartoons in Morocco, Belaïd Bouimid passed away on Monday.

According to Moroccan publication, 360 Sport, Bouimid passed on after a long and courageous fight against illness. He was 75 years old.

He was reportedly admitted to at a clinic in Casablanca where he underwent yet another surgical operation after his health deteriorated. Belaïd Bouimid was used to getting back up. But not this time. The dean of Moroccan journalists, a true big brother to all sports journalists in the country, he passed away on Monday, September 23, 2024 at the age of 75.

Throughout his career, he distinguished himself not only through his expertise and love for sports but also through his intellectual curiosity and open-mindedness.

He was not just a journalist but a deeply cultured man, attuned to the evolving artistic, literary, and cultural landscapes. His sports analyses were often enriched with cultural references, giving him a unique and original perspective.

His humanity, sharp mind, and insightful view of the world inspired many generations, whether in the editorial offices or the artistic circles he cherished so much.