One of Cameroon’s most devoted football players Rigobert Song has died, according to news reports. The athlete was found unconscious last Sunday, suspected of suffering a cerebral aneurysm and for some time seemed to be on the road to recovery. Reports later confirmed Rigobert Song dead after being flown to France for further medical treatment.

For a few days, Song’s recovery seemed to be promising after he had recovered consciousness initially. “He has come out of his coma and his oxygen has been disconnected,” said Dr. Louis Joss Bitang A Mafok of the Yaounde Central Hospital. “His high blood pressure has returned to normal and the cerebral hemorrhage has been controlled.”

However, unseen complications related to the first aneurysm he suffered may have arisen. The family confirmed the news of Rigobert Song dead.

Song was formerly a player for his own National team, winning 137 caps. He has played professionally for the likes of Liverpool, West Ham United, Galatasaray. He has played in 4 World Cups: 1994 in the US, 1998 in France, 2002 in Korea-Japan, and 2010 in South Africa. He retired from playing football in 2010 but went on to manage and temporarily coach the Chad National Football Team.

Song is the uncle of former Arsenal and Barcelona player Alex Song. He is survived by his wife, Gabrielle Esther Nnomo Mballa.

The news reporting Rigobert Song dead is tragic especially for football fans in Africa, as Song was one of the most familiar faces in African football, someone who has basically been a staple for much of the last two decades. His longevity is also impressive, and the feat of having playing in both the 1994 and 2010 World Cups – 16 years apart – are a testament to how well he managed to keep his body’s condition.

Very few other players would be able to brag about being able to play at such a high level for that long, and not just in football, either. Song is sure to be remembered not just by family but by fans worldwide.