Millwall FC and the Montenegro Football Association have announced the sudden death of Matija Sarkic, the Montenegrin goalkeeper, at the age of 26.
Sarkic, who was born in Grimsby, passed away early on Saturday morning.
The Montenegro Football Association, in a heartfelt statement, described Sarkic as a “beloved member of the ‘Brave Falcons,’ an eternally smiling guy.”
Sarkic played nine times for Montenegro, making his debut against Belarus in 2019. He was last seen in action during a friendly against Belgium on June 5.
His twin brother, Oliver Sarkic, is a midfielder with Montenegrin champions Decic Tuzi. Matija Sarkic began his football journey in the youth academy at Anderlecht before moving to Aston Villa in 2015.
His career included loan spells at Wigan, Stratford, and Havant & Waterlooville in England, and Livingston in Scotland, before joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in 2020. Sarkic later moved to Millwall after loan spells at Shrewsbury, Birmingham, and Stoke.
Millwall FC expressed their profound grief in a statement: “Millwall Football Club is completely devastated to announce that Matija Sarkic has passed away at the age of 26. Sarkic, The Lions’ number one goalkeeper, made 33 appearances for the club since joining from Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2023.”
The club extended their condolences, stating, “Everyone at the club sends their love and condolences to Matija’s family and friends at this immensely sad time.”
The Montenegro football federation also paid tribute to Sarkic’s legacy: “In the jersey of that iconic London club, he left a 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.”
Matija Sarkic’s untimely death has left a void in the hearts of his teammates, fans, and loved ones.
As the football community mourns his loss, his contributions on and off the field will be remembered and cherished.
