The relegation rival and former Portsmouth College student struck by tragedy following family death
Cardiff City’s Andy Rinomhota has paid tribute to his brother following his tragic death.
The former AFC Portchester midfielder is in mourning, following news of Joseph Itai Rinomhota dying in a Muay Thai boxing match in Thailand last Friday.
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The sibling of Rinomhota was taking part in his debut on the island of Koh Samui and received a kick to his ribs. According to local reports he left the ring on his own but was struggling with his breathing and collapsed. Despite CPR at the scene and efforts to revive Joseph at Thai International Hospital, he was pronounced dead at 11pm.
Rinomhota, who went to Cams Hill School in Fareham and also attended Portsmouth College, has paid homage to his brother in a moving post on Instagram, in which the bond between the pair was clearly evident.
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He said: ‘Nothing could’ve prepared me for what’s happened and no words or pictures are going to be enough to show or express the love I have and will always have for you my brother.
‘I’m hoping this will help to heal the pain even if only slightly.
‘You were the most driven and positive-minded person I know, always pushing for more and never settling for the minimum, always looking for that next thing to try and achieve.
‘You lived life to the fullest and I know you’d have no regrets even now.‘
‘As a brother, they don’t come better than you, caring, kind, supportive, the list is endless, you always looked after me in every way possible and I should’ve told you more just how much that meant to me.
Rinomhota: ‘Rest in peace Joe’
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‘Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us everyday - I know you’ll continue to watch over me and provide me with the strength and love you always have.
‘You’ll be with me doing the things we had planned to do together, you will always be in my heart and never forgotten.‘
‘Rest in peace Joe.’
Rinomhota retains ties with the Portsmouth area, having turned out for AFC Portchester from the 2013-14 season and being turned down by Pompey after a trial.
The 27-year-old also attended the Steve Claridge Football Foundation, before being picked up by Reading in 2015 as he slipped from the grasp of the Blues.
The Zimbabwe international made the senior breakthrough with the Royals in 2017, after collecting EFL Trophy experience, and went on to make 139 appearances for the club.
Rinomhota joined Cardiff in 2022 and has made 31 appearances for the Bluebirds this season, including both games against Pompey - starting in their 2-1 loss at Fratton Park last month.
Rinomhota, who is due to become a free agent this summer, made his last appearance at international level for Zimbabwe in their 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw with Nigeria on March 25.
When speaking to The News in 2016, Rinomhota admitted he thought there was a chance he would play for Pompey.
He said: ‘I could have been playing for Pompey, but I wasn’t picked up so I went to Reading.
‘I was at Portchester for a good five or six years coming through the youth set-up and into the first team.
‘I always thought Portsmouth may come looking but they didn’t in the end. Thankfully I got picked up by Reading.
‘It’s worked out for me. I ended up at Reading. I’m not going to complain at that! ‘I’ll always have a soft spot for Pompey, though, and the accent will stay in me!’