Burkina Faso footballer Ben Aziz Zagre has died after a long battle with bone cancer. The disease forced him to prematurely end his professional sports career only a year ago. The sports world is now paying tribute to him, he writes
The defender was only 27 years old and he was diagnosed with cancer in his knee. He lost his battle with a cruel disease on Sunday, June 7. During his career, he once wore the national team jersey of Burkina Faso. At the club level, he worked in several European teams – the Danish Esbjerg fB, the Portuguese Vitória Sport Clube, the Kazakh Kaisar and most recently in the Russian club FC Šinnik Yaroslavl.
According to reports from the Russian station Match TV, Zagre underwent chemotherapy in 2025, which extended his life by a year. In April of this year, he also underwent a difficult operation in Europe. His agent Dmitrij Seľuk confirmed to the media that doctors took the drastic step of amputating both of Zagre’s legs to save his life. However, this intervention could no longer help the defender. However, thanks to chemotherapy, he was given precious time to be able to to die at home, surrounded by family and loved ones.
“We tried everything we could. Ben underwent chemotherapy, which kept him fighting for a year. Thank God he was able to return home and pass away surrounded by his loved ones. He was close to making it back to Burkina Faso alive.” said Seľuk to Match TV.
“I’m so sorry. Ben was always smiling. Anyone in Šinnik will confirm that he was a great and kind person. First of all, he was an excellent footballer who had a great future ahead of him and would definitely play in the Russian Premier League. Unfortunately, what happened happened,” he added.
At the same time, the agent criticized the doctors in Russia, who initially told the player that he was fine and did not have cancer. Only after a visit to a specialized oncology center, doctors immediately revealed the truth. Seľuk then took him to Germany and Portugal for treatment.
Burkina Faso Football Federation (FBF) confirmed his death and the teams paid their respects before the match against Belarus in Minsk a minute of silence.
“It is with deep sadness that we have received the news that international Ben Aziz Zagre has passed away at the age of 27. Burkina Faso is losing a young talent who was torn from the arms of his loved ones in the prime of his life. Ben has worn the national colors with pride, from the youth ranks to the senior A’s,” the federation said in a statement.
Denmark’s Esbjerg also reacted on the X social network. “It is with great pain that we received the news that our former defender Ben Aziz Zagre is no longer with us. Ben joined us in 2018 and played five games for the first team. Honor to his memory,” they wrote.
The Portuguese club Vitória SC also offered their condolences. “We express our deepest condolences on the passing of Ben Zagre. We thank him for his service and will remember his humble and hard-working nature. Goodbye forever, Conquistador,” they added.
