Kenzo Kies, a 21-year-old French footballer who played for Guingamp in Ligue 2, has died after drowning in the Rhone river.
Kies and three friends entered the river near Lyon to escape the extreme heat gripping France, with temperatures reaching 40C in parts of the country.
Emergency services pulled three people to safety, but Kies was the last to be found and was in a critical condition when firefighters retrieved him from the water on Monday.
He was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries, leaving the French football community in a state of shock and grief.
The tragedy comes during a deadly heatwave in France, with Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu confirming that forty people have drowned in heatwave-related incidents since last Thursday.
Kies had developed through the youth academies of two of France’s most prominent clubs, Lyon and Saint-Etienne, before joining Guingamp last year to play in their reserve team.
Guingamp were among the first to pay their respects, writing on X: “Guingamp has had the sorrow of learning of the death of Kenzo Kies, a young player with the club.”
The club also pledged their “full support” to Kies’ family during what they described as a “painful ordeal” following the loss of the young player.
Saint-Etienne issued a deeply personal tribute to Kies, having had him at their Robert-Herbin Sports Centre for seven years during his formative development as a footballer.
Their statement read: “The Green Generation is in mourning. A resident of the Robert-Herbin Sports Centre for seven years, a talented player and discreet young man appreciated by all, Kenzo Kies has lost his life in dramatic circumstances.”
Saint-Etienne extended their condolences broadly, adding: “Saint-Etienne extends its most sincere condolences to his loved ones as well as to those – teammates and coaches alike – who shared a piece of his journey.”
The club’s tribute concluded with a poignant message, reading: “Kenzo, in the corridors of L’Etrat, no one will ever forget you.”
Saint-Etienne have also told BBC Sport that plans are already underway to honour Kies with a tribute at the Geoffroy-Guichard Stadium at the start of next season.
