Former APR and Rayon Sports head coach Jean Marie Ntagwabira passed away last night at the Rwanda Military Hospital in Kanombe after a long illness.

He was 42.

The cause of death has not yet been released by the hospital.

Ntagwabira was the technical director of Rwamagana-based side Sunrise FC, newcomers in the topflight league.

The tactician, arguably the best Rwandan coach of his generation,played for Lycee de l’Espoir Bujumbura and Burundian giants Vital’O before returning to Rwanda in 1990 to participate in the Liberation War. He rose to the rank of captain.

He then continued his playing career in Rwanda, skippering APR FC, before retiring and going into coaching.

Ntagwabira also coached the now defunct Atraco FC and SC Kiyovu and was assistant coach of the national football team under Djukovic Ratomir in 2004 when Rwanda made its debut appearance to the Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

He won two league titles with APR and one with Atraco in 2008.