Several personalities from world and French sport died in 2024. Among them, Franz Beckenbauer, German football legend, the former US football player OJ Simpson and the sports journalist Didier Roustan.
A year 2024 rich in sporting news but also in notable disappearances. Several personalities from French and world sport have left us over the last twelve months. In January, former French driver René Metge, three-time winner of the Dakar and luxury co-driver of Johnny Hallyday in 2001, died at the age of 82 (on the 3rd). On the 5th, Mario Zagallo, who led Brazil to two world championship titles (1958 and 1965), died at the age of 92, two days before an absolute legend of world football, Franz Beckenbauer.
Beckenbauer-Riva, two heroes of the 1970 World Cup died a few days apart
“The Kaiser”, icon of Bayern Munich (14 titles), world champion with the FRG (1974), lost his last battle against illness at the age of 78, leaving Bayern and all football lovers orphans. His departure provoked a flood of emotional memories, from his furtive passage on the OM bench (1990-1991) to his arm in a sling in the semi-final of the 1970 World Cup. A meeting where Gigi Riva, who died on January 22 at 79, had scored, contributing to Italy's victory (4-3, ap) before the defeat in the final against Brazil (4-1).
Rugby also mourned the loss of some of its own, including Welsh legend JPR Williams and his famous sideburns, but also Cédric Rosalen, former fly-half for Perpignan and Montauban, who died at the age of 43. Former pole vaulter Shawn Barber, world champion in 2015, died at just 29 years old following medical complications. On January 23, Jean Petit, former player, coach and key figure of AS Monaco, passed away at the age of 74.
On February 1, French sport paid tribute to its athletics legend Michel Jazy (87 years old), Olympic vice-champion in the 1500m, double European champion and author of nine world records. More tragic, the Kenyan Kelvin Kiptumholder of the marathon world record since October 2023 (2h00'35''), died in a road accident a few months after his feat in Chicago (February 11) at the age of 24. On February 20, Andreas Brehmeanother icon of German football, world champion in 1990, was struck down by a heart attack at the age of 63.
On April 8, André Boniface, French rugby legend, four-time winner of the V Nations Tournament, died at the age of 89. On the 9th, OJ Simspon, a former US football star who became world famous after being accused of the murder of his former wife in 1994 – a case which had fascinated the United States – died of cancer at the age of 76.
On May 5, Cesar Luis Menotti, former player and then coach of Argentina, whom he led to the world title in 1978, died at the age of 85, leaving several of his disciples, such as Pep Guardiola, inconsolable. On the 13th, Lucien Mias, former captain of the French XV nicknamed “Doctor Pack”, breathed his last at 93 years old. On the 25th, the young American golfer Grayson Murray (30 years old), twice winner on the PGA Tour circuit, killed himself. On the 27th, the NBA paid tribute to Bill Walton (71), former double champion with Detroit and Boston who subsequently became a successful commentator. His death was announced a few days after that (on the 2nd) of another former North American League player, Darius Morris (33), also played by Gravelines in France.
On June 17, the Le Havre club mourned the death of its iconic president (1979-2000) Jean-Pierre Hureau at the age of 91, a few weeks before the club's former striker Cédric Daury, who died on August 12 at the age of 54 after a long fight against disease. On July 1, Éric Poujade, Olympic vice-champion in pommel horse gymnastics at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, died suddenly at the age of 51.
Knowing he was doomed, Sven Goran Eriksson, former England coach, had accomplished several of his dreams, such as coaching Liverpool. The former Swedish technician passed away on August 26 at the age of 76, dying of pancreatic cancer. The same illness claimed Sol Bamba (August 31, 39 years old) a few days later, trained at PSG and played for several British clubs (Leicester, Leeds, Cardiff, Middlesbrough).
Outrage after the murder of Rebecca Cheptegei
On September 5, the dreaded news came after the horror: Rebecca Cheptegei died from serious injuries and burns inflicted by her husband four days earlier. The 33-year-old Ugandan marathon runner took part in the Paris Olympics event on August 11, taking 34th place. His death sparked a wave of global indignation.
On September 11, France's football world woke up stunned by the news of the death of Didier Roustan, a famous sports journalist who worked for TF1, Antenne 2, Canal+ and the Channel L'Équipe, at the age of 66. Nostalgia and sadness once again enveloped the football world on the 18th with the announcement of the death at the age of 59 of Salvatore “Toto” Schillaci, top scorer at the 1990 World Cup with Italy.
On the 30th, Dikembe Mutombo (58 years old), co-record holder for the number of NBA defender of the year titles (4), succumbed to brain cancer, causing an immense wave of sadness in American society. “There was no one more qualified than Dikembe to become the first global ambassador of the NBA,” said Adam Silver, boss of the NBA. “He was a humanitarian at heart. He loved what basketball could do to positively impact communities, particularly in his native Democratic Republic of Congo and across the African continent.”
Another legend, another sport but the same emotion at the announcement of the death, on October 6, of Johan Neeskens (73), icon of Ajax Amsterdam and the Netherlands (two World Cup finals). On the 9th, George Baldock, a Greek international, was found dead in his swimming pool at the age of 31, the day before a match between England, his native country, and Greece, that of his sporting nationality. On the 24th, PSG, OM and Morocco were stunned to learn of the sudden death of their former midfielder Abdelaziz Barrada at the age of 35.
On November 8, AS Saint-Étienne mourned the death of Rachid Mekhloufi (88 years old), actor in the Greens' first French championship title in 1957. The former Algerian striker won three more, remaining in the history of the club and French football.
This is also the case for Rik Van Looy in Belgian cycling. “The Emperor of Herentals”, considered one of the best riders in history and winner of all cycling monuments, died at the age of 90 on December 18.
