In a tragic scene that shocked the Serbian Super League, Bosnian coach Mladen Žižović has died aged 44 (some sources report 45) after collapsing during the match between FK Radnički 1923 and FK Mladost Lučani in Lučani. The incident occurred in the 22nd minute of the game when Žižović suddenly fell ill in the technical area and was treated on-site before being rushed to hospital.
The match was momentarily halted as medical staff attended to Žižović. Shortly afterward, club officials and the footballing community received the devastating news that he had passed away. The game was subsequently abandoned as players, coaches and fans alike struggled to comprehend the unfolding events.
Radnički 1923 confirmed the news in a statement, expressing their “deepest sorrow and disbelief” and paying tribute to Žižović’s professionalism, humanity and passion for the game. The Football Association of Serbia echoed those sentiments, noting the loss represented a “tremendous blow to Serbian and Balkan football.”
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Žižović took charge of Radnički 1923 just days earlier and had been working to establish his vision for the club. Previously a player and manager in Bosnia and the region, his sudden death on the touchline reminded the football world of life’s fragility far beyond the final whistle.
In the aftermath, tributes have poured in from clubs, colleagues and former players. A minute’s silence is expected before Radnički’s next fixture as the club and supporters come to terms with the loss. Meanwhile, the investigation into the medical response and the precise circumstances of the collapse is underway.
Football often tests the physical and emotional limits of those involved, but rarely does it present such raw heartbreak. As one of the sport’s rising coaches is lost in such tragic fashion, his memory will now carry the weight of what might have been, in the game he loved and dedicated his life to.
