Former Dundee and Georgia captain Giorgi Nemsadze dies aged 54
The midfielder, a Dundee Hall of Fame member, spent three and a half years at Dens Park and won 69 caps for his country.
Dens Park, home of Dundee FC. File photo. · Photograph: Stuartp1213 (CC0)
Former Dundee midfielder and Georgia captain Giorgi Nemsadze has died of a heart attack at the age of 54.
His first and last club, Dinamo Tbilisi, announced his death. Georgia's prime minister Irakli Kobakhidze called it a tremendous loss for Georgian football.
Nemsadze joined Dundee in 2000 during the era of big-name signings under Ivano Bonetti, alongside players such as Claudio Caniggia. He had previously played for Hamburg, Trabzonspor, Grasshoppers and Reggiana, and won 69 caps for Georgia.
He was inducted into Dundee's Hall of Fame in 2010 and returned to play in Julian Speroni's testimonial in 2015. Dundee said he had called the city his second home.
After retiring, he worked as Dinamo's sporting director and coached Georgia's youth teams as well as Shevardeni Tbilisi, Dila Gori and Dinamo.