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Zimbabweans will remember Bocande as the man who broke the nation’s hearts on 1 September 1985 with a hat-trick which cancelled out the late Stanley Ndunduma’s first leg strike. The former Caps United and Black Rhinos star had put Zimbabwe in the lead in the 31st minute from an Ernest Mutano freekick and hopes were high that in the second, Zimbabwe would rise to it and go all the way for the 1986 finals held in Cairo, Egypt.
He was already based in France then and found the African heat too much and occasionally walked to the touchline to quench his thirst. After scoring each of his three goals he repeated the same routine according to a live broadcast of then Radio One by the late Evans Mambara.
The Warriors bowed out on a 3-1 aggregate.
After playing for Metz between 1984 and 1986, Bocande moved on to Paris Saint Germain, Nice and Lens and participated in the 1986, 1990 and 1992 Africa Cup of Nations, scoring 20 goals for the Teranga Lions in 73 appearances.
Upon his retirement from international football in 1994, he was appointed as the national team’s coach but was quickly demoted to become a member of the coaching staff.
“It’s an enormous loss for Senegalese football. We knew that he was suffering. Bocande revived Senegalese football. He gave everything to Senegalese football through his talent and his commitment,” said the FSF president Augustin Senghor.
The Senegalese government announced on state television that the fallen player would be honoured with a state funeral.
Another former star player to pass away recently was Nigerian legend Rashidi Yekini. — Goal.com/Sports Editor.
Online Reporter
Londile Moyo