ONE of the most accomplished football players Tanzania has ever produced Maulidi Dilunga (62) passed away on Tuesday and was to be laid to rest i n Kisarawe, Coast Region yesterday.
Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Spokesperson Florian Kaijage said the deceased who played for the national team for more than 10 years from the 60s to mid 70s died after a long illness.
He will be remembered for his dazzling football skills that earned him the nickname of Eusebio after the greatest Mozambiqueborn Portuguese football player that has ever lived.
Kaijage said a one minute of silence will be observed on Saturday in his respect when Taifa Stars take on Cameroon. TFF has given his family 100,000/- as condolence.
Omary Gumbo, the deceaseds former teammate and one they used to share a room when in camp, said Dilunga was a role model who young footballers should seek to emulate.
Dilunga along with TFF Technical Director Sunday Kayuni are the men behind the Elite youth academys success, said Gumbo.
The striker played for the two big clubs of the country, Yanga and Simba and in 1972 he was among the four Tanzanians who were in the East and Central Africa squad.
To sum up his brilliance, Dilunga was made the captain of the Africa squad of 1974. There were only two players from Tanzania who were in the team. The other was goalkeeper Omary Mahadhi
Tanzania Football Federation (TFF) Spokesperson Florian Kaijage said the deceased who played for the national team for more than 10 years from the 60s to mid 70s died after a long illness.
He will be remembered for his dazzling football skills that earned him the nickname of Eusebio after the greatest Mozambiqueborn Portuguese football player that has ever lived.
Kaijage said a one minute of silence will be observed on Saturday in his respect when Taifa Stars take on Cameroon. TFF has given his family 100,000/- as condolence.
Omary Gumbo, the deceaseds former teammate and one they used to share a room when in camp, said Dilunga was a role model who young footballers should seek to emulate.
Dilunga along with TFF Technical Director Sunday Kayuni are the men behind the Elite youth academys success, said Gumbo.
The striker played for the two big clubs of the country, Yanga and Simba and in 1972 he was among the four Tanzanians who were in the East and Central Africa squad.
To sum up his brilliance, Dilunga was made the captain of the Africa squad of 1974. There were only two players from Tanzania who were in the team. The other was goalkeeper Omary Mahadhi