Former Algerian international Djamel Menad dies aged 64

ALGIERS: Former Algeria forward Djamel Menad has died aged 64 following a short illness, his ex-club JS Kabylie announced on Saturday.

“The wider Algerian football family and JS Kabylie are in mourning following the announcement of the death of Djamel Menad, a former player and true legend of football in the country,” JS Kabylie wrote on social media.

“In recent weeks, the health of the former centre-forward of the Algerian national team had deteriorated rapidly as a result of a devastating illness that struck him around two months ago,” indicated news website TSA.

Menad died in a clinic in Algiers where he had been hospitalised on March 14, after returning from Brussels where he had been receiving treatment for a month, reported Algerian football media DZfoot.

Born on July 22, 1960 in the town of El Bayadh, Menad represented his country 79 times, scoring 25 goals, over a 15-year international career.

Menad´s efforts in helping Algeria reach the 1986 World Cup in Mexico resulted in him being named Algerian sportsman of the year in 1985.

He was notably top scorer at the 1990 Africa Cup of Nations, with four goals in five appearances as Algeria claimed the trophy on home soil. Over his club career, Menad played for Algerian sides JS Kabylie, CR Belouizdad and USM Alger. He also played in Europe for French club Nimes, as well as Portuguese sides Famalicao and Belenenses.