The Croatian Football Federation announced today, Saturday, the death of Nikola Pokrivač, the former star of the Croatian national team, following a horrific car accident in the city of Karlovac, at the age of 39.

According to media reports, Pokrivač was returning from a training session with his teammates when they were involved in a traffic accident about 50 kilometers from the Croatian capital, Zagreb.

Marijan Kostić, the president of the Croatian Federation, extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased, stating: "Nikola was a wonderful player, he lived football until the last moment of his life, and he showed great courage during his battle with illness."

Pokrivač had previously undergone treatment for lymphoma, which led to the end of his professional career in 2015, but he continued to play at a lower level in various local competitions.

He played 15 international matches with the Croatian national team and participated in the UEFA Euro 2008, as well as playing for prominent clubs such as Dinamo Zagreb, AS Monaco, and Red Bull Salzburg.