Preparations for Ivory Coast’s upcoming match against Greece where it by the news that Yaya Touré and Kolo Toure have lost their younger brother Ibrahim Toure at the age of 28. Both the Touré brothers are influential to the Ivory Coast team, but this news has left the preparations in tatters. It is understood that Ibrahim was suffering from cancer for a few years. He was also a footballer, but played in lesser-known leagues. It was not known whether Kolo Toure and Yaya Touré will be departing the World Cup 2014 in order to participate in the final duties.

However, Ivory Coast football Federation has confirmed that both players have decided to stay with the national team. A lot of support has been coming in from various quarters including Fifa president Sepp Blatter. Ibrahim was a regular presence of the Manchester City training ground in order to support his bigger brother Yaya Touré. The Premier league outfit have also sent their condolences to the duo. For long periods, the participation of Kolo Toure was in doubt after he suffered a bout of malaria just before the tournament.

The news came after Ivory Coast’s 2-1 defeat at the hands of Colombia, which has put them on the brink of exit from the competition.

“A tough day for the Touré brothers. Just hours after the match Colombia v Côte d’Ivoire (2-1), Kolo and Yaya have learned of the death of their younger brother Touré Oyala Ibrahim. The entire Ivorian delegation to Brazil supports them in this painful circumstance. The president of the Ivorian Football Federation [FIF] and the Executive Committee are to inform the family of Ivorian football, the death of Ibrahim Touré occurred on Thursday June 19 in Manchester,” said a statement on the Ivory Coast football Federation a few hours after the news.