Matija Šarkić (foto: /)
Matija Šarkić, the 26-year-old goalkeeper for Montenegro's national team, passed away suddenly. His manager, Neil Harris, shared heartfelt memories of him.
Words cannot describe how I feel. It's very emotional for me because I have a 22-year-old son. Matija was only a few years older, said the manager of the late goalkeeper.
On Saturday, the goalkeeper for the Montenegro national football team, Matija Šarkić (26), passed away. Montenegrin news outlet Vijesti reported the tragic news. The player fell ill in his apartment in Budva around 6:30 AM, and his friends immediately called for an ambulance, but they couldn't save him. Two days later, his manager Neil Harris (46) spoke to The Sun.
"He was a wonderful son and brother, a very caring and good man," said the manager about the late goalkeeper.
"Words cannot describe how I feel. It's very emotional for me because I have a 22-year-old son. Matija was only a few years older," Harris continued.
Their collaboration lasted only three months.
"I worked with Matija for only three months. I was with him last Thursday at training, and he had a big smile on his face. That evening, he went to see his family in Montenegro," Harris said.
He also reflected on Matija's career and his desire to win on the field.
"He wanted to be the best he could be. That was his mindset. People shouldn't think of him as a laid-back goalkeeper who was pretty calm on the field; he was very enthusiastic," he said.
Harris also highlighted how much Matija loved his job.
"It's not always appropriate to talk about work at times like this, but in Matija's case, it is. He loved the game and loved his job," he concluded.
Let's remember, Šarkić was a member of Millwall and previously played for many English teams, such as Wolves, Stoke, Birmingham, Aston Villa, and Shrewsbury. He played nine matches for the Montenegro national team and debuted against Belarus in a friendly match in 2019.