Croatian footballer dies after taking ball to the chest

Just 15 minutes into the game, the 25-year-old took a ball to the chest from close range but played on.

Moments later, after play had continued and the innocuous-looking action had been forgotten about, he collapsed to his knees and fell to the floor. Despite the best efforts of medics, they could not revive the player.

Boban played for Slavonia Pozega for two years until a transfer to Marsonia in Croatia's third division this year. The tragic incident took place at Gradski Stadion uz Savu in the Croatian city of Slavonski Brod.

The news comes on the back of the death of Davide Astori, who passed away in his sleep due to a "cardiac circulatory collapse" - a type of heart attack.