Former Guinea international defender Mohamed 'Ofei' Sylla has died at the age of 44 this is according to the Guinea Football Federation (Feguifoot).
In a statement, Feguifoot noted: "With the deepest pain we announce the death of Mohamed Sylla in Conakry on Monday 4 February 2019 due to illness. Feguifoot takes this opportunity to offer its sincere condolences to his family, his teammates and his friends."
Sylla who made his international debut in 1993 played in all of Guinea's matches at both the 1994 and 1998 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia and Burkina Faso respectively and played alongside the legendary Aboubacar Titi Camara, Abdoul Salam Sow, Morlaye Souma and his late namesake Mohamed Lamine Sylla, who died aged 39 from cancer in 2010.
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He made his final Guinea appearance in 2003 in a friendly against Tunisia, four years after last playing for the Syli Nationale.
At club level, he played for Guinean outfit Horoya as well before moving to Europe to play for French club Vannes and Turkish sides Gaziantespor and Denizspor; he also played for Egyptian club Ismaily.
His death came just over a year after the death of iconic former Syli Nationale captain Naby Laye 'Papa' Camara.
The federation did not give any further details on the exact cause of death.
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