Akeem Omolade, a former Torino striker from Nigeria, was found dead in his car in Italy just days after complaining of leg pain.
On Monday, June 13, emergency services discovered him unresponsive in a Peugeot in Palermo, Sicily’s capital.
There were no obvious external injuries at the time of the initial examination. Omolade’s family claimed that the Kaduna native had complained of leg pains a few days prior.
The Nigerian represented the Maroons in Serie A, Italy’s top flight, between 2001-2003, making five appearances in total.
Omolade also represented 11 other clubs in the country, including Treviso, Novara, and Reggiana before his retirement in 2017.
Torino said in a statement:-
‘President Urbano Cairo and all of Torino Football Club sincerely share in the Omolade family’s grief at the passing of our former player Akeem Omolade.
‘Signed from Treviso, he first played in our youth side and then for the first team, making his Serie A debut against Inter Milan on February 2, 2003.
‘The entire Torino family sends its deepest sympathies to his loved ones, his parents, and his many friends.’
‘Omolade spoke out against racism after being targeted by a group of the club’s ‘ultras’.
