Around a thousand fans and some twenty international
teammates were present at Abidjan airport on Thursday to pay their respects as
the body of football star Cheick Tiote, who died in China earlier this month
aged 30, was brought home.
A key member of the Ivory Coast team which ended a 23-year
drought in winning the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, his manager from that time
Herve Renard had made the trip as had teammates Salomon Kalou, Kader Keita and
Wilfried Bony.
Tiote, a 52-time capped player, who was at the 2010 and 2014
World Cups, will be honoured with a military funeral on Sunday.
The forward moved to China in February from England’s
Newcastle United.
He collapsed at training with second-tier Chinese club
Beijing Enterprises on June 5.
Tiote was very well liked in English football circles after
his stint with Newcastle, including six Premier League campaigns before their
relegation last year.
He began his European club career with Belgian outfit
Anderlecht and had a loan spell at Roda JC Kerkrade before moving to FC Twente
in 2008.
Tiote signed for Newcastle in 2010 and made 156 appearances
for the club, becoming a firm favourite with fans.
News Credit: PUNCH.NG
0 Comments