Moustapha Sylla, a football player for the Ivory Coast, passed away at age 21 from a heart attack.

At the Robert Champroux Stadium in Abidjan on Sunday, the defender passed out during the match between Racing Club Abidjan and SOL FC.

The left-back was shown on video losing his footing and falling to the ground close to the centre circle before opposition players came to his aid.

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Officials decided to continue with the match in the Ivorian top flight after Sylla was taken off the field.

‘Moustapha Sylla died Sunday night following an illness on the field during the match with Sol FC,’ the president of the Ivorian club, Logossina Cissé, told AFP.

‘Sylla passed away during transport to the hospital. He had arrived in September and was only 21 years old.’

RC Abidjan wrote on its Twitter account: ‘Our defender Sylla Moustapha died this evening after an illness on the pitch.

‘Management sends sincere condolences to his family. Rest in peace Moustapha. Rest in peace LION.’

The club said Sylla’s funeral would be held on Monday at the municipal cemetery in Dabou, Ivory Coast.

Sylla joined RC Abidjan last September from Malian side Djoliba AC.

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