Toulouse mourn Bryan Bergougnoux after sudden death | OneFootball

Bryan Bergougnoux died suddenly in Toulouse on Friday while back in the city to take part in a futsal tournament. The former attacking midfielder had been due to feature in the Legends Tournament at the Palais des Sports.

According to L'Équipe, he felt unwell around 13:00 while travelling by car with a friend on the city’s ring road en route to lunch with participants. He was driven to Purpan hospital and suffered a second collapse around 15:00 that proved fatal. The former Toulouse player had been Didier Digard’s assistant at Le Havre this season.

His death stunned the local football community, Bergougnoux having worn TFC colours from 2005 to 2009. Former coach Alain Casanova was left devastated and remembered a selfless figure who bound squads together and stayed in touch as he moved into coaching.

Ex-team-mate Nicolas Dieuze described shock and disbelief, recalling Bergougnoux’s generosity, constant good humour and ability to lift a dressing room. He also highlighted his technical quality, citing a superb goal scored away to Monaco.

Pantxi Sirieix, another close former colleague, paid tribute to an intelligent, cultured team-mate with sharp humour. He reflected that a little extra weight might have hindered sustained top-level performances, but stressed his outstanding technique and warmth.

The charity futsal event went ahead that evening, marked by a minute’s applause at the arena in his memory. Toulouse paid tribute, describing the club as in shock. An autopsy is scheduled for Tuesday or Wednesday, so the funeral will not take place immediately.

Source: L'Équipe