Gabonese international footballer, Aaron Boupendza, has tragically died at the age of 28 after falling from the 11th floor of a building in China, the Gabonese Football Federation (Fegafoot) confirmed on Wednesday.
“The Gabonese international died following a fall from the 11th floor of his building in China, where he was playing for Zhejiang FC,” the federation announced in a statement on X (formerly Twitter).
Fegafoot described Boupendza as “a great striker who left his mark on the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon,” referencing his standout performances during the 2022 tournament where Gabon reached the Round of 16 before being eliminated by Burkina Faso.
“Fegafoot and the entire Gabonese football family offer their sincere condolences to his biological family,” the statement added.
Gabon’s President-elect Brice Oligui Nguema also paid tribute, posting on X:
“It is with immense sadness that I learn of the tragic death of Aaron Boupendza, a talented centre-forward who brought honour to Gabonese football.”
Gabon 24, a national broadcaster, reported that while the exact circumstances of the fall remain unclear, an investigation is currently underway to determine the cause of the incident.
Born in Moanda, Boupendza began his professional career in 2016 with French club Bordeaux, spending much of his early career on loan to other French teams. He rose to prominence after joining Turkish side Hatayspor in 2020, where he finished as the top scorer in the Super Lig for the 2020–21 season.
Following his success in Turkey, he had stints with Al Arabi in Qatar, where he won the Qatar FA Cup, and Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia. Boupendza later played in the United States for FC Cincinnati and in Romania with Rapid Bucharest, before signing with Zhejiang FC in January 2025.