Chelsea legend Branislav Ivanovic is mourning the sudden death of his cousin, former Serbia international Dejan Milovanovic, who collapsed and died of a heart attack during a veterans’ match on Tuesday.
Milovanovic, 41, was representing the Red Star Belgrade legends side when he fell to the turf moments before taking a corner.
Witnesses, per the Daily Mail, say he received immediate medical attention and was revived at the scene before being taken to hospital, where he suffered a second heart attack that proved fatal.
The midfielder had found the net earlier in what turned out to be his final game, as the Red Star veterans faced PKB Korporacija.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
His passing has sent shockwaves through Serbian football, where he was regarded as one of the club’s finest servants of the 2000s.
Milovanovic captained Red Star Belgrade during a distinguished career that saw him win seven major honours, including three Serbian SuperLiga titles and four domestic cups.
He also won the Ligue 2 crown with French club RC Lens in 2008-09, represented Panionios in Greece and Vozdovac in Serbia, before retiring in 2014.
Dejan Milovanovic enjoyed a distinguished career in football before his tragic death
|GETTY
He hailed from a family steeped in footballing tradition – his father, Djordje Milovanovic, was also a Red Star midfielder – and he was a first cousin of Ivanovic, who enjoyed a glittering nine-year spell at Stamford Bridge.
The Serbian Veterans League confirmed that all upcoming fixtures have been postponed in the wake of his passing.
“Dear club representatives, a few minutes ago, during a veterans' match, Dejan Milovanovic, a player of FK Zvezdara, passed away. For this reason, the next round, which was supposed to be played on September 18, will be postponed,” a statement read.
**SIGN UP FOR OUR FREE DAILY GB NEWS SPORTS NEWSLETTER HERE**
Red Star Belgrade paid an emotional tribute, with Bosko Durovski, president of the club's Veterans’ Section, praising Milovanovic’s contribution on and off the pitch.
“Dejan was more than a footballer. As a child of our club, he progressed through all the youth categories and took his first steps in professional football in the red-and-white jersey,” Durovski said.
“With his skill, fighting spirit, and charisma, he left an indelible mark in the hearts of his team-mates and fans.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
Branislav Ivanovic is reportedly devastated following the tragic death of his cousin
|PA
"Beyond his sporting qualities, we will remember him as an exceptional person, cheerful, smiling, and always ready to help.”
Red Star added in their own statement: “Dejan loved football and Red Star the most. It will remain recorded that it was on the pitch that the heart of a great Red Star fan, fighter, and football master stopped beating.”
French side Lens, where Milovanovic made 47 appearances between 2008 and 2010, also paid tribute, writing on X: “Le Racing has learned with deep emotion of the sudden passing of Dejan Milovanović… To his family and loved ones, the club extends its most sincere condolences.”
Ivanovic, who won three Premier League titles and the Champions League during his Chelsea career, has yet to issue a public statement but is reportedly devastated by the loss.