Czech Republic international dies in minibus crash

Josef Sural (r) TEAMtalk

Czech Republic international Josef Sural has died aged 28 following a minibus crash involving a number of his team-mates from Turkish side Aytemiz Alanyaspor.

Sural and six of his team-mates from the Turkish top-flight club were travelling in a private minibus when the accident occurred.

The Football Association of the Czech Republic confirmed that Sural, who earned the last of his 20 caps for his country in October last year, had died.

The governing body said on Twitter: “The Football Association of the Czech Republic has accepted with great grief the news that the representative striker Josef Sural died tragically in Turkey. We’ll never forget you, Pepo!”

Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech, a former Czech Republic international, was among the first to offer his condolences.

He tweeted: “Sad news from this morning. Sincere condolences to the family and to all the loved ones. R.i.p.”