His death was announced on Tuesday, August 19, by
authorities in Benin.
Reacting, his former club, Helsingborgs IF wrote on X:
“Helsingborgs IF is in mourning.
“We have been informed that our former player Razak
Omotoyossi has passed away at the age of 39. Our thoughts are with his family
and loved ones.”
Nigerian journalist Shina Oludare disclosed that he made
efforts to reach out to the legend's brother, who lamented the unfortunate
incident.
Oludare wrote on X: "Razak Omotoyossi’s brother tells
me that the former Benin Republic legend had been battling depression and
illness, which contributed to his passing... more details shortly...
"For context, he tragically lost his home to a fire in
July, and just two weeks ago, his sister also."
Omotoyossi, who switched nationality to represent Benin
after beginning his career in the Nigerian league, went on to become one of the
country’s greatest-ever footballers.
He scored 21 goals in 55 international appearances, ranking
among Benin’s all-time top scorers.
He is best remembered for his exploits during the 2008
Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers, where he scored all four goals in
Benin’s 4-1 victory over Togo and finished as joint top scorer of the campaign
alongside Samuel Eto’o.
He also made history as the first player to score for Benin
at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
At the club level, Omotoyossi had an extensive career across
Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, playing in South Africa, Libya, Egypt,
Syria, Moldova, Sweden, and France.
Notably, he shone for Helsingborgs IF in Sweden, featuring in the UEFA Champions League, before moving to French side FC Metz.
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