By Victor Kanayo
The Gabon Football Federation (Fegafoot) has revealed that its striker Aaron Boupendza died on Wednesday after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China.
He was aged 28.
Confirming his demise in a statement via X, the federation wrote: “The Gabonese international died following a fall from the 11th floor of his building in China, where he was playing for Zhejiang FC.
“Aged 28, Boupendza leaves us with the memory of a great striker who left his mark on the CAN (Africa Cup of Nations) in Cameroon.”
“Fegafoot and the entire Gabonese football family offer their sincere condolences to his biological family,” the federation added.
Gabonese President-elect Brice Oligui Nguema also took to X to share his condolences.
“It is with immense sadness that I learn of the tragic death of Aaron Boupendza, a talented centre-forward who brought honour to Gabonese football,” he posted.
In 2022, the Panthers were eliminated in the last 16 of the AFCON by Burkina Faso.
Born in Moanda, Boupendza joined French side Bordeaux in 2016, spending most of his time on loan at other French clubs.
In 2020, he signed for Turkish side Hatayspor and was top scorer in the Super Lig in 2020–21 before moving on to Al Arabi, with whom he won the Qatar FA Cup, and later Al Shabab in the Saudi Pro League.
Before moving to China, he had stints at the USA and Romania clubs.
