LOME (AFP) -- Former Togolese international captain Salou Tadjou has died at the age of 33 years following a long illness, his family said Wednesday.

Tadjou, who played in defense, competed with several local clubs before continuing his professional career with Esperance in Tunisia and Swiss first division club Servette.

He played Togo's first match in combined qualifiers for the 2006 African Nations Cup and the 2006 World Cup against Zambia, but was not selected for the squad who reached the finals in Germany last year.