Ivorian international football star Cheick Tiote suddenly died on Monday, June 5, in a hospital in China.

He was 30 years old.

This sad event occurred about an hour after he collapsed while training with his club, Chinese second tier side Beijing Enterprises.

"He just collapsed right in front of me," teammate Jin Hui said, according to a post on social media platform WeChat seen by the BBC.

"I still cannot believe this," Hui, 29, who joined first aid efforts, added.

Here are some facts Pulse Sports gathered about the former Newcastle man that you may have never known.

1. He was a devout Muslim.

Tiote was a dedicated Muslim who was committed to Islamic practices. He is believed to have been observing the holy month of Ramadan - which involves abstinence from food, liquids, sex, smoking and sinful behaviour - at the time of his untimely demise. He was also, as permitted by Muslim rules, polygamous, with two wives.

2. Tiote died just two weeks before his birthday.

He died 16 days before his birthday.

He would have turned 31 on Wednesday, June 21.

He was born on Saturday, June 21, 1986 in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast.

He had nine brothers and sisters.

3.He made his UEFA Champions League debut aged 19

This was in December 2005 for Belgian club Anderlecht in a 1-0 loss against Spanish club Real Betis.

He was just 19 years old, and he had joined the 34-time Belgian champions on a three-year eal from Ivorian club FC Bibo a few months earlier.

He would go on to win two Belgian league titles and two Belgian Super Cups with the Purple and Whites.

4.He once gave away a medal he won to a friend

Tiote is reported to have given his silver medal to a friend after the Ivory Coast lost the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations final on penalty shootouts to Zambia in Libreville, Gabon.

"I gave my medal to a friend, because I was so disappointed," he told Newcastle United's official website.

"I didn't want to keep it - we did well, but we didn't win it; maybe next year we will win the competition.

Three years later, he was a part of the victorious Elephants who won the trophy after beating Ghana on penalty shootouts in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.

5. He was expecting a child at the time of his death

Tiote's first wife, Madah Bitèye Tioté, 28, is reportedly expecting to give birth to the couple's third child this week, according to the Guardian's Ed Aarons.

Tiote, Madah and their two children lived together in a £1.5million mansion in Ponteland near Newcastle during the deceased's seven-year stay with the Toons.

As a Muslim who was entitled to polygamy, he married a second wife, Doukrou Laeticia, in 2014. The ceremony, which took place in Abidjan in his native Ivory Coast, was confirmed by his agent, Jean Musampa, who said: 'I can say that he did get married and that it is his second marriage. This is nothing unusual. He is a Muslim.'

He is also known to have fathered a four-year old son, Rafael Tiote, with his former mistress, Zimbabwean Nikki Mpofu, 36.

6. His cause of death is not yet officially known

Although it has been reported that Tiote died from cardiac arrest, the exact cause of his death is not on public record yet. (As at today, Wednesday June 7, two days after his death)

According to his club, Beijing Enterprises, they are waiting to officially inform his family before making it public.

"We must wait until his family is here," club spokesperson Yang Xiaoxiao said.

"We need to respect their opinion and not to speak more at this moment."

7. He owned a men's clothing line

Tiote and friend, fashion designer Yusuf Abubakar Tumi founded a men's fashion line called TIC in February 2014.

The line featured a selection of jackets, shoes and T-Shirts.

Tiote is reported to have seen a jacket by Abubakar, 26, in a picture and asked to meet up with the designer.

Their friendship and business partnership blossomed.

Abubakar, in fact, on Monday, shared contents of a whatsapp chat session he had had with Tiote hours before his shocking demise.

Brief history

Tiote played for Anderlecht, Roda JC, FC Twente, Newcastle United and Beijing Enterprises in his career. He won league titles at Anderlecht and FC Twente.

He was capped 52 times for the Ivorian national team, playing at three Africa Cup of Nations tournaments (winning one in 2015) and two World Cups.