Emmanuel Kunde passes on at 69

• Cameroon’s Emmanuel Kunde has died barely weeks before his 69th birthday
• His 101 caps for his country made him one of the rare Cameroonian internationals who made over a century of appearances for the senior team
• He featured at multiple Africa Cup of Nations (including appearing at three consecutive finals as skipper between 1984-1988) and the FIFA world cup tournaments in 1982 and 1990

Former Cameroon international and two-time Africa Cup of Nations winner, Emmanuel Jérôme Kundé has died in the country’s political capital, Yaoundé.

The one-time Indomitable Lions of Cameroon defender became the fourth member of the historic 1990 FIFA World Cup squad to pass on, following the likes of Captain Tataw Etta Stephen, Louis Paul Mfede and Massing Benjamin who joined their ancestors a few years back.

Kunde began his career at Mbankomo FC in the 70s, but went on to represent Tempête de Nanga-Eboko FC, Canon Proveyance and Olympic Mvolyé locally plus featured for French clubs Stade Reims and Stade Lavalois.

Kunde, a Canon Yaoundé legend with whom he won four domestic league titles played at the back for Cameroon with Tataw and Massing has cast a sad feeling in the football community following his demise. He had been battling with illness in the past two years but unfortunately bowed out this Friday morning.

The demise of the 1984 and 1988 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winner  and two-time FIFA World cup defender is a huge lost for Cameroon football.

Though he didn’t play for great clubs abroad, he left an edilible mark domestically especially as skipper of Canon Yaoundé, including triumphs in continental competitions for the Mekok Megunda. Upon his retirement Kunde worked as a trainer for PWD of Bamenda, Canon Yaoundé and US Bitam in two spells amongst other activities in football upon his retirement amongst others and was loved by stakeholders across the board.

His mortal remains have been left at the Yaoundé Central hospital mortuary pending further communication from the bereaved family which we extend their sincere condolences to.