Body of ex-Ivory Coast defender found in Rhine

Wigan Athletic have also expressed their sadness at the news.

“Our thoughts are with his family in these hard hours”, the club said in a statement. It is this afternoon (Saturday) certain that Steve Gohouri has died at the age of 34 years.

The former Ivory Coast worldwide went missing following the Christmas party of his current side, German outfit TSV Steinbach.

Tributes have been paid to the player online and on social media, including one from his former United Kingdom side.

Since his departure from the Latics, Gohouri had played for Maccabi Tel Aviv and Greek club Skoda Xanthi, before signing with German fourth division side TSV Steinbach in 2015.

BILD say that the 34-year-old’s body was discovered by Dusseldorf police today in the Rhine.

“Borussia are mourning the loss of Steve Gohouri”.

Düsseldorf police confirmed there were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the events of Gohouri’s death. The defender, who played 29 games for Gladbach between 2006 and 2009, had been missing since December 12. The autopsy has shown that the player resorted to drug taking before plunging presumably to his death in the river.

However, after the former Ivory Coast global was not heard from, his family filed a missing person’s report.