Milwall goalkeeper, Matija Sarkic, has died at 26 years old

Matija Sarkic, a Milwall goalkeeper, has passed away on June 15 aged 26.

Despite his young age, the player has represented a plethora of soccer teams in the United Kingdom. He started his senior career in Birmingham’s Aston Villa, being loaned to multiple clubs in his early years, like Wigan Athletic and Stratford Town. In 2020, he joined Wolverhampton Wandereres, and then made a move to Milwall in 2023. Unfortunately, his spell ended in the Championship club, with Sarkic suddenly passing away on June 15.

Sarkic has also represented his country numerous times. He played nine times for the senior Montenegro team, the last time doing so on June 5 against Belgium in an international friendly, which was lost 2-0 by Sarkic’s squad. But he was still named a man of the match. After the game, Montenegro’s players had started their vacation and flew home.

How did Matija Sarkic, a 26-year-old Milwall goalkeeper, die?

Little is known about the precise cause of Matija Sarkic’s death. Milwall made a statement on June 15, sending their condolences to the family and asking fans to respect their privacy in this difficult time. It didn’t shine any details on the player’s death and there has been no update ever since.

“Millwall Football Club is completely devastated to announce that Matija Sarkic has passed away at the age of 26. 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 statement reads.

We know that Sarkic had fallen ill shortly after the game against Belgium and traveled to his house in Budva, Montenegro. According to local media via BBC, Sarkic supposedly collapsed on Saturday morning and died. However, on June 21’s interview with The Athletic, Oliver Sarkic, Matija’s twin, recalled their family were told that the cause of death is sudden heart failure.