Ben Idrissa Derme suffered a heart attack during a match for AJ Biguglia.
Former Burkina Faso international Ben Idriss Derme has died after suffering a heart attack while playing for amateur Corsican side AJ Biguglia in a French Cup tie on Sunday.
The 34-year-old, a familiar figure in Corsican football, was in action for the sixth-tier side in their third-round cup match against Furiani at the Stade Paul-Tamburini, but collapsed early in the second half after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Medical services treated Derme on the pitch but were unable to revive him and the defensive midfielder was pronounced dead shortly afterwards.
Derme, who won four caps for Burkina Faso as a midfielder before converting to the centre of defence later in his career, started off with Ouagadougou-based heavyweights Etoile Filante before moving to Moldovan side Sheriff Tiraspol in 2004.
He spent four years with the domestic giants before returning to his homeland with US Ouagadougou in 2008 and was back in Europe a year later to begin a seven-year spell in Corsican football with USC Corte, CA Bastia and EF Bastia.
He played in the second tier of French football as recently as 2014 with CA Bastia.
Reigning Europa League champions Sevilla and Corsican side AC Ajaccio are just two clubs to have paid tributes to the anchor man who leaves behind a wife and a daughter.
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