Goran Bunjevcevic dead: Former Tottenham Hotspur defender dies at the age of 45

Aleksandar Kolarov dedicated Serbia’s winning goal against Costa Rica in their World Cup opener to the popular executive only last week

Goran Bunjevčević spent five years playing at White Hart Lane (Getty)

Former Tottenham defender Goran Bunjevcevic has died, aged 45.

A classy centre-back during his playing career, Bunjevcevic was a well thought-of football official and was elected to the board of the Serbian FA in 2016 but suffered a stroke in April of this year and had been in a coma ever since.

Aleksandar Kolarov dedicated Serbia’s winning goal against Costa Rica in their World Cup opener to the popular executive only last week.

Bunjevcevic began his professional career during a turbulent time in the Balkans and was forced to move to Belgrade where he would eventually make the leap to becoming a professional. He worked his way up through lower-league sides, eventually signing for one of Serbia’s big two - Red Star Belgrade.

The defender in action against Bolton Wanderers in 2002 (Getty)

After over 100 appearances for the 28-time champions he was bought by Tottenham as a replacement for Sol Campbell and went on to spend five years at White Hart Lane.

A delegation from the Serbian team had visited Bunjevcevic in hospital after his stroke but despite emergency surgery the former Yugoslavia international never regained consciousness and Red Star announced his death late on Thursday night.