By John Ogunsemore
Montenegro goalkeeper, Matija Sarkic “died suddenly” on Saturday morning, the European nation’s football association has announced.
The Millwall shot-stopper was 26.
“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 FA said in a statement.
“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.”
Sarkic joined Millwall from Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2023, playing 33 games.
Emerging from Anderlecht’s academy, he joined Aston Villa in 2015.
He subsequently had loan spells at Shrewsbury, Birmingham and Stoke City, playing 60 games.