A 35-year-old former footballer has reportedly died in what his family describe as a “brutal crime.”
Jakub Hajduk’s death was revealed by his mother Teresa Hajduk.
In an online fundraiser – to cover the costs of repatriating his body – she said: “My son, Jakub Hajduk, died tragically in Switzerland – he fell victim to a brutal crime.
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“His death was sudden, unexpected and took away everything that was most precious to us.”
Jakub had been working in Switzerland after a football career in his native Poland.
He spent his football career in the Świętokrzyskie leagues – the fifth tier and below of Polish football – playing for clubs including Sokół Rykoszyn, Wierna Małogoszcz, Neptun Końskie and Partyzant Radoszyce.
He last featured for Sokół Rykoszyn in the 2022-23 season, as reported by Need To Know.
Paweł Wijas, coach of Piaskowianka Piaski, told local media: “I worked with Kuba for two years at Sokół Rykoszyn.
“He was a very polite, approachable lad with a great sense of humour. He was extremely well liked and never had any trouble settling into a new team.”
Footballer Sebastian Hajduk said: “We played together at Wierna Małogoszcz and had known each other practically since we were kids.
“He was cheerful, kind and warm-hearted – a great person and a great teammate.”
Jan Kowalski, who also played with Jakub at Wierna Małogoszcz, recalled: “He played as a central striker, never held back and always gave everything.
“I remember a friendly against second-division Hutnik Kraków that ended 1-1: Kuba collided with one of the players, hit his head on the opponent’s shoulder and broke his nose.
“Of course, he carried on playing. He never calculated risks – he gave one hundred per cent.”
It is not clear exactly when Jakub died, but Jan said the tragic news reached him on Monday (12 Jan).
Jakub is survived by a brother, who also played football. Social media posts suggest he also leaves behind a young son – “my everything”.
The fundraiser has been closed after reaching its target. It is not yet known if any formal investigation is underway.
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