Thousands of Gambians gathered to pay their final respect to the late iconic footballer, Alhagie Momodou Njie well-known as Biri-Biri, at a state funeral in Banjul.

Biri Biri died on Sunday at the age of 72 in the Senegalese capital Dakar after suffering a short illness.

The late footballer, considered by many as the greatest Gambian footballer, was praised both locally and internationally for his great contributions to football and humanity.

Dozens of people including President Adama Barrow eulogised the late Biri Biri at the funeral on Wednesday.

In his eulogy President Adama Barrow called the deceased “a great son of the Gambia and an icon in the football world.

“On behalf of all Gambians and footing world, let me avail myself this opportunity to convey our deepest condolences to his family and dear ones, I assured them all that , we are together in this moment of grief, and we pray that the Almighty Allah receives his gentle soul and grant him paradise.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba