Gambia’s legendary footballer Momodou Njie (Biri) has died in the Senegalese capital Dakar at the age of 72, his former Spanish side Sevilla confirmed on Sunday.
According to a statement on the club’s website, Biri who spent five years at the La Liga side, died after undergoing an unsuccessful operation in a hospital in Dakar.
As a mark of respect to the legacy of Gambia’s best known international football export, Sevilla and Valencia players wore black armbands during their La Liga match on Sunday.
Biri was something of a cult figure to fans of Sevilla, where he arrived from Denmark in 1973 and his 14 goals for the club were crucial to winning them promotion to the Spanish top flight two years later.
He played 109 times for the club, scoring 34 goals.
“Many players have a better record in the club’s history, but few have left such a mark on the fans like him. Those five years meant that the Gambian international left a legacy in the hearts of Sevilla fans which will never be forgotten, as both a legend and idol. He would go onto receive the gold insignia of the club in front of a packed Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán in 2017” said the club.
As a Gambian international Biri represented his country more than 50 times before retiring in the mid 1980s but continued to play club football with Wallidan.
He finally hung up his football boots in 1987.
In later years he would go on to become deputy mayor of Banjul between 1994 and 2005 and served as the manager of the Royal Albert market in the city.
In 2000, then President Yahya Jammeh in recognition of his services to his country bestowed on him a national order of merit.
Six years ago he was voted Gambia’s “greatest footballer of the last millennium and of all time”
WN/as/APA