Razak Omotoyossi dead at 39: Former Ligue 1 star and African football legend passes away
The Beninese football icon's passing was announced on Tuesday.
1
And the football world paid tribute to Benin's second all-time leading goalscorer after his tragic passing became public knowledge.
One footie fan wrote: " Deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Razak Omotoyossi.
"My thoughts are with his family (especially wife Bose Alao Omotoyossi & his children) friends and former teammates at this terribly sad time.
"Top guy, fantastic footballer who's been through a lot since 2015."
Another said: "May God grant him eternal rest."
And another said: "A gifted goalscorer and passionate servant of the game, his impact on African football will never be forgotten.
"Rest in peace, champion."
The cause of Omotoyossi's death has yet to be revealed.
Omotoyossi, who was born in Nigeria but represented neighbouring Benin, played for 15 clubs during his career before calling it a day as a professional footballer in 2021.
Helsingborg, Al-Nassr, Metz and Zamalek were most high-profile teams the late striker paid for.
And a number of his old sides paid tribute to him upon learning of his untimely death.
Helsingborgs' wrote in a statement on X: "Helsingborgs IF is in mourning.
"We have been informed that our former player, Razak Omotoyossi, has passed away at the age of 39.
"Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Rest in peace, Razak."
THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..
The Sun is your go to destination for the best football, boxing and MMA news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
11 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Chelsea owners BlueCo reach agreement to sign Brighton's Julio Enciso, with their outlay on Seagulls recruits rising to more than £250m since their Stamford Bridge takeover
BlueCo, the group that owns Chelsea and Strasbourg, has reached agreement to sign Julio Enciso from Brighton and Hove Albion. The 21-year old midfielder is recovering from a knee injury but will join Strasbourg initially before later transferring to Chelsea. The £13.8million transfer continues BlueCo's astonishing pattern of recruitment from Brighton since taking control at Stamford Bridge in 2022. Enciso is set to become the fifth player signed from the Amex Stadium, following Marc Cucurella, Moises Caicedo, Robert Sanchez and Joao Pedro. In addition, Chelsea paid over £21m in compensation to bring manager Graham Potter and his staff to west London, and later appointed Brighton's former transfer chiefs Paul Winstanley and Sam Jewell into senior recruitment roles. The latest deal pushes Chelsea's spending on Brighton players and staff beyond £250million. Enciso joined the Seagulls from Paraguayan side Libertad in 2022 and made 57 first-team appearances, scoring five goals and supplying six assists. His time on the south coast was disrupted by injury, including a torn meniscus in August 2023 that kept him sidelined for six months and caused him to miss 38 matches for club and country. He returned in early 2024 but struggled to secure a regular place under new Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler, who left him out of his long-term plans. The attacking midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan at Ipswich Town, contributing two goals and three assists in 13 games. Despite the Tractor Boys' relegation, he impressed in flashes with his direct play and creativity. Enciso's progress has again been halted by fitness issues. He underwent knee surgery in May, which is expected to keep him out for several more weeks. Brighton hope the procedure will finally resolve the recurring problems that have plagued him since 2023. The hope is that Strasbourg can provide a fresh environment and consistent game time once he returns, with the French side qualifying for the Europa Conference League after finishing seventh in Ligue 1. BlueCo purchased Strasbourg in 2023 as part of their multi-club strategy, using the French side to develop talent earmarked for Chelsea. Managed by Liam Rosenior, Strasbourg began their domestic campaign with a 1-0 win at Metz and will also face Brondby in the Conference League play-off round this week. Enciso's arrival is seen as a significant coup for Rosenior's side as they prepare for the demands of European football.
Daily Mail
11 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Chelsea agree LaLiga move for talented youngster the Blues bought just one season ago - as west London side continue end-of-window fire sale
Chelsea have agreed a deal to sell one of the players that Enzo Maresca has been looking to offload as the Blues continue to carry out their transfer business efficiently before the end of the window. The west London side have brought in a raft of new players this summer, including attackers such as Ipswich Town's Liam Delap, Joao Pedro from Brighton, and former Borussia Dortmund star Jamie Gittens. Maresca has also burnished additional positions, signing Dario Essugo from Sporting Lisbon, and Jorrel Hato from Ajax. Additionally, Chelsea have finally got their hands on prodigal Brazilian starlet Estevao Willian, after signing the 18-year-old from Palmeiras last summer. But to facilitate the move, the Blues are in need of a slew of outgoings, and while the club have already managed to wave farewell to players including Joao Felix, Armando Broja, Lesley Ugochukwu, Djordje Petrovic, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, and Noni Madueke, the club are hopeful of more departures before September 1. Daily Mail Sport reported on Monday that there could be up to nine stars who book loan or permanent moves before the end of the window. Now, Renato Veiga will move to Villarreal after an earlier tipped move to Atletico Madrid collapsed earlier this month. The player will exit the club to join the LaLiga side in a deal worth £26million - with a substantial sell-on clause. The move comes just one year after the Blues bought the Portugal international from Basel for £12m, with the 22-year-old signing a bumper seven-year deal upon his move to west London. Veiga started brightly under Enzo Maresca, making 18 appearances in the first-half of the season, and scoring two goals with a further assist during Chelsea's travails in the UEFA Conference League. But the young talent looked to move in January in a bid to find increased playing time ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Veiga took a loan move to Juventus, where he was able to make a further 15 appearances. In January, Maresca revealed that he had spoken to Veiga about his Chelsea future, intimating that he was keen to play in his preferred position of centre back instead of the hybrid left back role that his manager had used him in at various points over the season so far. 'Playing in the position he is playing with us gives him the chance to join international team and gives him the chance to get speculation around him which means clubs look for him,' the manager insisted. 'Clubs look for players that are doing well, not bad. 'For me, if there is a player that wants to play in one position, they are going to struggle. They have to adapt, play in different positions. It's a good thing for the team and the club.' As well as Veiga, other players earmarked for a move include Axel Disasi, Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Christopher Nkunku, and Nicolas Jackson.
Daily Mail
11 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
NFL quarterback breaks down in tears as he details family's financial struggles after landing $10m contract
Chicago Bears quarterback Tyson Bagent broke down in tears at an emotional press conference to mark his new contract on Wednesday. The Bears handed their backup to Caleb Williams a two-year contract extension through the 2027 season. Bagent's new deal is worth $10million but could go as high as $16m if incentives are reached. Bagent, who grew up in Martinsburg, West Virginia, was clearly overwhelmed by such a lucrative pay day and told reporters that his father dealt with major struggles as a child. A teary-eyed Bagent, 25, said: 'My dad is my right-hand man. He didn't even have running water until he was in high school. 'There are definitely a lot of things and people that I think I could certainly help with this gift I've been blessed with. 'I don't really know anybody back at home with any money so it feels good. It's certainly a weight off my shoulders and my family's shoulders and it definitely means a lot.' Bagent played in four games and threw two passes last season with Williams starting every game after being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick. But he's made a big impression over two seasons. Undrafted in 2023 following a record-setting career at Division II powerhouse Shepherd University, Bagent played in five games and made four starts while leading Chicago to two wins with Justin Fields injured. He completed 66 per cent of his passes for 859 yards with three touchdowns and six interceptions. 'I've really been blown away by his approach from the spring to start of camp to where we are now,' coach Ben Johnson said. 'He does a tremendous job knowing what to do, how to do it and getting it done. So I don't think you can have enough talent in that room. I think we actually have one of the best rooms in the NFL, certainly that I've been around in my career from top to bottom.' Bagent set what was the NCAA´s all-division mark with 159 career touchdown passes, and finished with more completions (1,400) and yards passing (17,034) than any other Division II quarterback. In 2021, Bagent won the Harlon Hill Trophy, Division II´s equivalent of the Heisman. Chicago also signed veteran running back Royce Freeman and placed running back Deion Hankins on injured reserve. Freeman, a third-round draft pick by Denver in 2018, has run for 1,792 yards and 10 touchdowns with the Broncos, Houston, Los Angeles Rams and Carolina.
