Jean-Pierre Adams, a former France, and Paris Saint-Germain defender has died after spending 39 years in coma.
Gatekeepers News reports that Adams who has been lying in a coma at his home in the southern French city of Nimes since 1982 has died at 73.
PSG in a poignant tribute on Monday described him as the club’s “glorious elder.”
PSG said in a statement, “His joie de vivre, his charisma, and his experience command respect. Paris Saint-Germain offers its condolences to his family and loved ones.”
The defender was injured in a match and required knee surgery. During the operation at Lyon Hospital, an anaesthetic error saw him fall into a coma, and he was since cared for by his wife Bernadette.
Adams had left his home country of Senegal as a boy with a passion for soccer.
In 1970, Nimes spotted him and he went on to score 10 goals in 98 matches for the club before moving to Nice to play almost 150 games and scored 17 goals.
He moved on to PSG in 1977 where he played for two seasons. Adams then ended his playing career in 1981 after brief spells with Mulhouse and Chalon.
Adams won his first cap for France in 1972 and went on to play 22 times for Les Bleus.
Although he was relatively short for a central defender at 1.78 meters (5 feet, 10 inches), he formed an imposing partnership with Marius Tresor.
Adams’ last international appearance was away to Denmark in 1976.
