Somali Football Federations and the entire people of Somalia are shocked over the death of one of the country's football veterans who held the title as the country's first ever national football team captain Mohamed Qalaf Aden Shangole who died in Mogadishu on Tuesday morning.

A three day of national morning was announced at the Somali Football Federation headquarters where the book of condolence was also launched early on Tuesday morning.

The Late Shangole who has been ailing at Mogadishu hospital for the past several days was also serving as the legal advisor to the president of Somali Football Federation until he passed away at about 4 AM local time on Tuesday morning.

The veteran footballer was laid to rest at the Moalim Nur Cemeteries in the southern outskirts of the capital Mogadishu. The burial service attracted high profile officials from Somali Football federation and the national Olympic committee of Somalia including Somali NOC executive committee members Haji Mohamed Ahmed Olow and Ibrahim Hussein Ali (Roombe)

Somali National football team playmaker in 1960s and current Somali NOC executive committee member Haji Mohamed Ahmed Olow told the burial service that the late shangole was a key pillar in the history of Somali Football.

"I first met him by the end of 1940s, I was young boy but the late Shangole was a key footballer in the country which was under the colonial era by the time—I really remember the good days I had taken with Shangole who always liked to help young boys join the field of football” the old football star told the funeral service.

"Shangole had a very long history, but one of the most beautiful times he experienced included that in 1956 he was the first national team captain who exhibited at Banadir stadium during the launching ceremony of the soccer facility” Haji Olow told the media during the funeral service.

He said that in 1949 Shaongole was also the captain of the football team of the (Lega Dei Ginvani Somali) , the first youth group in the country.

Somali Football federation secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab added that Somalia missed one of the founders of the country’s football Federation and a man whose legacy will always be remembered amongst the people of Somalia.

"The late Shangole was old enough, but his experience and consultancy were always very helpful to us---with his death we have really missed a great football volunteer” secretary General Abdi Qani Said Arab told the media during the funeral service.

SFF president Ali Said Guled Roble added that Shangole’s passing would mean that a tremendous pillar in the history of Somali football has collapsed announcing that Somalia will observe a three day of national morning.

The SFF president became the first person who signed at the book of condolence which was signed by several hundred football fans since it was launched earlier on the day.

Somali Football Federation Media Department

Email:somalifootballmedia@gmail.com