A 39-year-old former Nigerian striker, Akeem Omolade, has been found dead in his vehicle in the Italian city of Palermo.
Omolade, who spent his entire career in the Southern European country, was found dead on Monday in a Peugeot car.
He was found dead in his car days after complaining of pain in his legs.
The Kaduna-born football star was said to have arrived in Italy at the age of 17, joining Treviso, with whom he made his professional debut in Serie B. He subsequently joined Torino, with whom he made his Serie A debut.
Following his departure from Torino, he went on to play in the lower leagues of Italian football. In 2011, he moved to Sicily to join Mazara. In 2012, he played for Ribera 1954 in Serie D, before returning to Mazara in 2013.
Torino said in a statement: “President Urbano Cairo and all of Torino Football Club sincerely share in the Omolade family’s grief at the passing of our former player Akeem Omolade.
“Signed from Treviso, he first played in our youth side and then for the first team, making his Serie A debut against Inter Milan on February 2, 2003.
“The entire Torino family sends its deepest sympathies to his loved ones, his parents and his many friends.”
