Former South African junior international Luke Fleur, who played for Kaizer Chiefs, the country's most popular soccer club, was killed in a carjacking in Johannesburg, police officials confirmed on Thursday.
Fleur, 24, was shot in the chest at a gas station Wednesday night and his attackers drove away in his car.
“While waiting for the escort to respond, we encountered two armed men,” police spokesperson Lt. Col. Mabela Masondo told reporters, adding that no arrests had been made.
The centre-back played the entirety of South Africa's national team at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and was called up to the first team for the World Cup qualifier against Ethiopia that year, but was left on the bench and without a cap.
“We woke up this morning to the heartbreaking and shocking news of the loss of this young life. This is a huge loss to his family, friends, teammates and the whole of football. We all , we are saddened by the death of this young man,” South African Football Association president Danny Jordaan said in a statement.
South Africa's Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gigi Kodwa, said: “We are sorry that another life has been cut short by a violent crime.''
Fleur joined Chiefs from SuperSport United in October after joining Cape Town's Ubuntu Football Academy.