Premier League referee Bobby Madley has paid a heartwarming tribute to the late Millwall goalkeeper Matija Sarkic, who tragically passed away at the age of 26. The Championship club revealed the sad news yesterday morning, after Sarkic fell ill in the coastal town of Budva, Montenegro.
Sarkic had been on international duty with Montenegro and had put in a stellar performance in his last match, making nine saves in a 2-0 defeat to Belgium. Reports suggest that he went for a walk with friends, had dinner in a restaurant, and returned to his apartment early on Friday evening. He later reported feeling ill and tragically passed away despite his friends calling for an ambulance.
Tributes from the football world have been pouring in for Sarkic, with referee Bobby Madley sharing a touching interaction the two had back in 2016. Madley recalled meeting Sarkic before a Montenegro Under 19s game and attempting to communicate with him in broken English. To his surprise, Sarkic revealed that he and his brother were from Grimsby and had been playing along with Madley’s attempts to communicate.
Sarkic, who had an impressive career playing for clubs like Aston Villa, Wolves, and Anderlecht, had only recently joined Millwall last season. His contributions helped the club achieve a midtable finish, and he had signed a long-term contract before his untimely passing.
