Israel mourns Gadi Kinda: National football player dies at 31
Mourning in Israeli football: National player Gadi Kinda has died at the age of 31. He reportedly suffered from a serious illness.
Israeli national soccer player Gadi Kinda has died at the age of 31. The Israel Football Association announced the midfielder's death. "Israeli football lost not only a talented player today, but also a beloved and valued person," the association said in a post on X.
Israeli media reported that Kinda was suffering from a serious illness. He was last treated in a hospital, the news site Ynet reported. The exact nature of his illness was unknown. Kinda was married and had two daughters, the Ynet report added.
Kinda was born to Jewish parents in the Ethiopian capital, Addis Ababa. As a child, he and his family immigrated to Israel. He played for FC Ashdod and Beitar Jerusalem, moved to Sporting Kansas City in the USA, and most recently played for Maccabi Haifa. He made ten appearances for the Israeli national team.
The chairman of the Israel Football Association, Moshe Zuaretz, expressed his dismay: "The mind refuses to understand, the heart aches, and the eyes tear up at the news of the passing of our dear Gadi Kinda," the association said in a statement. Maccabi Haifa, a club from the northern Israeli port city, expressed its condolences to Kinda's family.
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