The football world was left shattered yesterday as news came through of the death of Matija Sarkic.
On Saturday morning, Sarkic‘s club Millwall announced his death at the age of 26, after he had reportedly fallen in Montenegro. The club said in a statement that they were ‘completely devastated’ and sent their love and condolences to the player’s family.
Sarkic made 33 appearances for Millwall last season in his first term with the club after leaving Wolves.
While at Wolves Sarkic had loan spells with Stoke City and Birmingham City, and also with Shrewsbury Town in 2020/21. He made three appearances for the first-team at Molineux.
Sarkic signed for Wolves in the summer of 2020, joining from Aston Villa.
His passing has led to an outpouring of love from the footballing world on social media, and many of his teammates both past and present sent messages after the awful news on Saturday.
Ruben Neves, Conor Coady and many others send tributes to Matija Sarkic
The news of Sarkic’s death left the footballing world stunned on Saturday.
Wolves were quick to acknowledge their former goalkeeper’s passing, and on their official website they have published some quotes from sporting director Matt Hobbs.
He said: “He was a wonderful goalkeeper, but as a person – first and foremost – he was loved by everyone. Mati was such a popular guy around the club and always had a smile on his face. He worked hard, and he was so personable, so polite and friendly to every member of staff at Compton.
“He was unbelievably humble and treated everyone how he would want to be treated himself.”
Express & Star journalists Liam Keen and Nathan Judah recalled interviewing Sarkic during Wolves pre-season a couple of years ago, with Judah branding him ‘confident, infectious and humble’.
Keen described him as ‘incredibly intelligent and massively ambitious’.
It is very clear that Sarkic was someone who was very highly thought of and always made big impressions on people. That is evident by the many mesages that have come in since Saturday.
Many of the current Wolves squad sent tributes via social media (the following messages were posted on players’ Instagram Stories):
- Mario Lemina – ‘I can’t believe that I’m posting this. Rest in peace brother’
- Toti Gomes – ‘Rest in peace brother. Love you forever. Look after us up there and prayers to your family’
- Jose Sa – ‘Very sad with this news. Rest in peace my friend’
- Craig Dawson – ‘Such sad news. Thoughts are with your family’
- Max Kilman – ‘Absolutely terrible news. Such a good and generous person that would go out of his way to help anyone. Thoughts and prayers to your family. Rest in peace brother’
- Hugo Bueno – ‘Rest in peace brother’
- Dan Bentley – ‘Completely shocked. A top GK and top person. Thoughts and prayers with your family. RIP’
- Fabio Silva – ‘Rest in peace’
- Boubacar Traore – ‘Rest in peace bro’
There were also tributes from players who have since moved on from Molineux:
- Ruben Neves – ‘Rest in peace. All my thoughts with the family and friends’
- Conor Coady – ‘Mati, you lit up a room my friend, all my love and payers to your lovely family’
- Nathan Collins – ‘Horrible News. A true gent who would do anything for anyone. My thoughts and prayers are with his family. Rest easy Matija’
- Morgan Gibbs-White – ‘Can’t believe this. RIP brother’
- Connor Ronan – ‘Rest in peace mate. Gone far too soon’
Quite a few of the younger players who spent a lot of time wiht Sarkic at Wolves also sent tributes:
- James Storer – ‘Devastating news, rest easy mate’
- Jackson Smith – ‘Devastating news. Rest in peace brother’
- Louie Moulden – ‘Awful news to wake up to. Rest in peace mate, thoughts with all your family’
- Joe Hodge – ‘Amazing personal, anyone would tell you the same. Rest in peace mate’
- Chiquinho – ‘We gonna miss you my brother. You was an amazing person. Rest in peace’
- Chem Campbell – ‘One of the good buys. Prayers to your family’
- Theo Corbeanu – ‘I can’t believe this. Gone way too soon. Rest in peace my brother, God bless’
- Ryan Giles – ‘RIP my mate. Such a top man with the world at his feet!! So cruel’
Jack Grealish, who knew Sarkic form their time at Aston Villa together, also posted. He wrote ‘RIP Matija. Thoughts are with your family’.
All those at Molineux News send their hearfelt condolences to Matija Sarkic’s family and friends at this devastating time.