Photo credit: www.bbc.com
Tragedy Strikes Croatian Football with the Passing of Nikola Pokrivac
Former Croatian international footballer Nikola Pokrivac has tragically died in a car accident, as confirmed by the Croatian Football Federation. The incident occurred on a Friday evening in Karlovac, located in central Croatia. He was just 39 years old.
Pokrivac had a notable career, playing as a midfielder for prominent clubs such as Dinamo Zagreb, AS Monaco, and RB Salzburg. He earned 15 caps for the Croatian national team between 2008 and 2010. Notably, he participated in Euro 2008, where Croatia reached the quarter-finals, and took to the pitch against England during the qualifying rounds for the 2010 World Cup.
In 2015, Pokrivac faced a significant personal challenge when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which led him to retire from professional football. Nevertheless, he displayed remarkable resilience by returning to the sport in 2021 when he signed with lower league club NK Vojnic last summer.
On the fateful day of the accident, Pokrivac was traveling in a vehicle along with three teammates from NK Vojnic. Reports indicate that their car was involved in a four-vehicle collision, resulting in critical injuries for the occupants of Pokrivac’s car. Additionally, a 42-year-old individual from another vehicle was also pronounced dead.
Marijan Kustic, the president of the Croatian Football Federation, expressed sorrow over the loss, stating, “Nikola was a great football player, who lived football until his last moment in this world, and who showed great courage in life by overcoming a terrible disease.” Kustic further remarked on the devastating impact of Pokrivac’s death on the football community, emphasizing the pain felt by his family and friends.
In a heartfelt message, Kustic added, “It is impossible to find words of comfort in such a shocking and unimaginably sad moment when we have lost a young life. I can only express my deepest condolences to Nikola’s family and loved ones for this irreparable loss. The HNS and the Croatian football family will be with them in these most difficult moments.”
Source
www.bbc.com