‘ETERNALLY SMILING GUY’

Soccer World Mourns Death of 26-Year-Old Star Goalkeeper

Matija Sarkic reportedly fell ill at an apartment in the town of Budva in Montenegro on Saturday morning.

Millwall and Montenegro golakeeper Matija Sarkic has died at the age of 26, the club has announced. The Guardian reported that Sarkic fell ill at an apartment in the town of Budva in Montenegro on Saturday morning and later died. “Millwall Football Club is completely devastated to announce that Matija Sarkic has passed away at the age of 26,” they said. “Everyone at the club sends their love and condolences to Matija’s family and friends at this immensely sad time. The club will make no further comment at this time and asks that the privacy of Matija’s family is respected.” The Montenegro FA said in a statement that Sarkic had “died suddenly”. “A beloved member of the ‘Brave Falcons’, an eternally smiling guy, played for our A selection in nine games, in which he showed how much he means to this team,” the statement said. “Together with his twin brother Oliver, he passed all the junior categories of the Montenegrin national team. In the jersey of that iconic London club [Millwall], he left his mark, which was yet to become part of a bigger and more beautiful story. Premature death stopped that and caused great pain to the Sarkic family. The Football Association of Montenegro expresses its sincere condolences to the Sarkic family.”