Millwall goalkeeper Mattia Sarkic dies aged 26.
Sarkić is a Montenegro international who joined the Championship club from Wolves in August 2023 and played 33 times last season.
His last appearance for the national team came in a 0-2 loss to Belgium in a friendly match on June 5.
Montenegro’s Football Federation (FSCG) said Sarkic died suddenly on Saturday morning, with local media reporting he collapsed in his apartment in Budva.
FSCG described Sark as a “beloved member” of the national team and “the one who always smiles”.
“His untimely death brought great pain to the Sarkic family,” it added.
Millwall said they were “completely devastated”.
The Lions said: “Everyone at the club sends their love and condolences to Mattia’s family and friends at this extremely sad time.”
Grimsby-born Sarkic played youth football for Belgian side Anderlecht before joining Aston Villa.
He had loan spells at Wigan, Stratford Town, Havant and Waterlooville as well as Livingston before moving to Wolves permanently in 2020.
In the 2021-22 season, he was loaned to Birmingham City’s Shrewsbury Town and made 23 appearances before moving to Millwall, followed by Stoke City.
Villa said on X: “Everyone at Aston Villa is deeply saddened.
“Mattia joined our academy in 2015 and spent five years at the club, during which time he made his full international debut for Montenegro before leaving in the summer of 2020.
“All at the club send our condolences to his family and friends at this incredibly sad time.”
While the Sarkics were in the academy, BBC pundit Micah Richards was also at Villa.
“He’s a young lad from Aston Villa who trains with the first team and when I got the news I was absolutely shocked,” the former defender said.
“He was only 26 years old and died too young. I have been thinking about it all day and I feel a little depressed. I just want to express my condolences to his family.”
The Football Association, Professional Footballers’ Association and EFL also expressed their condolences to Sarkic’s family and friends.
