Photos: The funeral of Ivorian star Cheick Tiote is held in Abidjan attended by Kolo Toure and Ivory Coast squad
Pallbearers carry Tiote's coffin while a portrait of him is held aloft infront |
The funeral of Ivorian star Cheick Tiote was held in Abidjan on Sunday following his sudden death in China earlier this month.
Tiote died aged 30 after collapsing during training with his Chinese club Beijing Enterprises.
The
former Newcastle United midfielder was honoured with a military funeral
with a host of dignitaries and players in attendance.
His body was flown back home to Ivory Coast from China earlier this week.
Hundreds of people, including former Elephants coach Herve Renard, were at Abidjan's international airport to receive Tiote's body on Thursday.
Cheick
Tiote won more than 50 caps for his country and was part of the Ivory
Coast squad that won the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations.
A number of
his former team-mates attended the funeral, including Germany-based
striker Salomon Kalou who said he, like so many others, was left
devastated by the news of his death.
"He's someone I respected as a human being but also as a football player," Kalou told BBC Sport.
"I
played six years with him in the national team and I played against him
with Chelsea when he was at Newcastle, so we had a good relationship
and I couldn't miss this funeral for anything in the world.
"It's
unreal. It looks like a dream right now. We're all here to show him love
and to show him he's always going to be in our hearts," Kalou added.
England-based striker Wilfried Bony recalled how Tiote had been a
mentor figure for him when he first started playing for the Elephants.
"From
the beginning when I joined the team in 2010, he was one of the first
players who came and talked to me about how to be here, my attitude, how
to train, how I need to react with the other players.
"And Tiote
was a player who loved to win who loved to be first, he never wanted to
lose. He wanted always to be the best," said Bony.
Ivorian Prime
Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly was joined by Ivorian Sports Minister
Albert Amichia and President of the Ivorian football federation Augustin
Sidy Diallo at the funeral in Abidjan as the country paid its last
respects to its former international midfielder.
See more pics below....
A banner states that the late midfielder 'will always be in our hearts' |
Goalkeeper Boubacar Barry pays tribute to the late Tiote as he walks past his coffin |
The ex-Liverpool defender was joined by members of the Ivory Coast squad |
Former team-mate Kolo Toure was among those who attended the service |
The coffin of Tiote stands in the middle of a square ahead of his funeral service |
Salomon Kalou and Wilfied Bony flank Kolo Toure as they take their seats for the service |
Members of the public sing and dance ahead of the ceremony for the 30-year-old |
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