Rising football star Malanda killed in road accident

Footballer Bernard “Junior” Malanda-Adje, the Belgian under-21 international playing for Wolfsburg in the German Bundesliga, died at the weekend after the vehicle in which he was a passenger left the road in Germany.

Twenty-year-old Malanda-Adje, known as Junior Malanda, started playing in Sint-Agatha-Berchem and Ganshoren in Brussels. He was selected for youth training by Anderlecht in 2005 and moved to Lille OSC two years later.

In 2012 he was taken on by Francky Dury at Zulte Waregem, first as a defender before switching to defensive midfield. He soon attracted the attention of clubs including Ajax and Tottenham, but his transfer came despite Waregem’s efforts to keep him. He signed a five-year contract at Wolfsburg in 2013, where he would play alongside fellow Red Devil Kevin De Bruyne.

He played in 10 matches this season for Wolfsburg, who currently stand second behind Bayern Munich. His last match for the side was on 20 December, in a 2-1 win over Cologne.

Malanda-Adje (pictured) died on the way to the airport to travel with his teammates to South Africa to take part in a training camp. He was in the back seat of the Volkswagen Touareg, apparently stretched out napping. Two other passengers in the vehicle survived the accident, which authorities said was caused by severe weather and excessive speed.

Malanda-Adje’s fellow footballers reacted on Twitter: “Sad to learn this terrible news,” said Eden Hazard; “My brother, one of my only real friends, I can’t bring myself to believe this news,” said Romelu Lukaku; “So strange to hear your friend in the morning and then hear this news. Lost a great friend way too early,” said Kevin De Bruyne.

“We’ve lost not only a great promise from Belgian football, but also a friend,” said Dury. “I had him on the phone only yesterday, and I’m glad I can say that. We wished each other the best for the New Year.”

Photo: soccer.ru/Wikimedia