FSCG

This morning, goalkeeper Matija Šarkić passed away in Budva. He was 26 years old, having represented Montenegro eight times, and was currently a player for English club Millwall.

“Šarkić experienced difficulties in his apartment in Budva, and his friends quickly called for an ambulance, but tragically, it was too late,” reports RTCG.

“The police are present at the scene investigating the circumstances, but it appears to be a natural death,” RTCG states.

Šarkić was born in Grimsby, England, in 1997 and stood 194 centimeters tall. His father, Bojan Šarkić, was a diplomat who served as Montenegro’s ambassador to the UK and Belgium during his career.

He began his football career at the Anderlecht Academy in Belgium and was part of the Aston Villa Youth Team from 2015 to 2017. He played for Birmingham City until 2020, spending time on loan at Wigan, Nuneaton Town, Stratford Town, and Havant & Waterlooville, as well as Scottish club Livingston.

He later signed with Wolverhampton Wanderers and had loan spells at Rugby Town, Birmingham City, and Stourbridge. Since 2023, he successfully wore the Millwall jersey.

He made his debut for the Montenegrin national team in 2019.

His twin brother, Oliver Šarkić, is currently a player for the Montenegrin champions, Budućnost.

The Football Association of Montenegro released a statement following the passing of Matija Šarkić.

The association conveyed that a cherished member of the “brave hawks” and a constantly smiling presence at matches has shown how much he meant to the team. The announcement specified that details regarding the funeral and memorial service will be provided later.

“Montenegro national team goalkeeper Matija Šarkić passed away unexpectedly early this morning at the age of 26. A beloved member of the ‘brave hawks’ and an eternally cheerful spirit, he represented us in nine matches, demonstrating his significance to this team. Alongside his twin brother Oliver, he represented Montenegro at all youth levels.

This untimely passing has left the Šarkić family in profound pain. The date and time for Matija Šarkić’s funeral and memorial service will be announced later. The Football Federation of Montenegro expresses its heartfelt condolences to the Šarkić family,” the FSCG stated.