Heartbreaking Scene as Elite Footballers Learn of Manager’s Death During Game

Players and staff were notified while the game was still being played.

A manager in Serbia’s top division has tragically passed away after suffering a suspected heart attack during a league match.

In the 22nd minute of Monday’s Serbian SuperLiga fixture between Radnički 1923 and Mladost Lučani, head coach Mladen Žižović suddenly collapsed on the touchline.

Medical personnel immediately rushed over and the 44-year-old was quickly taken to a nearby hospital.

However, although play briefly resumed after a short pause, heartbreaking confirmation arrived just 20 minutes later that the Radnički 1923 boss had died from what is believed to be a heart attack.

Several players and staff members dropped to the ground in shock after learning the devastating news, and referee Jovan Šegrt soon abandoned the match.

Žižović, a former Bosnia and Herzegovina international who previously represented clubs such as Zrinjski Mostar and Rudar Ugljevik, had only taken charge of Radnički 1923 in October. The match was just his third game in the dugout.

Tributes have been pouring in across Serbian football. The Serbian FA released an emotional statement, expressing “deep sorrow and disbelief” over his sudden passing, calling it a major loss for the entire football community and offering condolences to his family, the club, and all who knew him.

They concluded: “Rest in peace, Mladen. Your passion for football and the legacy you leave behind will live on.”

Clubs including Partizan Belgrade and Red Star Belgrade also issued statements, sending their condolences and honouring Žižović’s memory.