The former Ivorian international player Laurent Pokou, seen as an emblematic figure of African football, has died aged 69, BBC Afrique reports.
From 1960 to 1970, Laurent Pokou was a striker both for the Abidjan club of ASEC Mimosas where he started his career and the national squad.
He made 70 appearances for the national team.
As part of his international career, Pokou played for Nancy in France from 1977 to 1978 alongside Michel Platini.
Among other things, he is remembered as the long-time record holder for the highest number of goals – 14 – scored by a single player at the African Cup of Nation tournament.
His record was broken 30 years later by Samuel Eto’o of Cameroon following the 2008 African Cup of Nations in Ghana.
Pokou died in Abidjan after a long illness.
