Malanda: The loss of a young man

As someone in their mid-twenties, Junior Malanda's passing was a stark reminder of how death holds no regard for your number of years on the planet. It just takes.

I didn't know Malanda, but I did watch him play and, like many onlookers, thought he was a talented footballer with an exciting future. I was intrigued to see how he would develop as a player. Now sadly I, we, won't have that opportunity.

Really though, that's irrelevant. Yes, he was an exciting, young footballer emerging in a side enjoying unprecedented success, but he was also a 20-year-old man entering an exciting, defining period of his life. Of course it's sad that Malanda has died before he got the chance to realize his sporting potential, but more importantly he won't be able to enjoy the perhaps forgotten wonders of life.

Footballers are lauded as immortals but that is mainly due to the world they live in. It's not an ordinary one, but they are still people. The same people who enjoy the taste of good food, the warmth of the sun and the love of another. Football is a part of life, often a defining part, but it is not entirely life.

"Wherever he went Junior made a good impression. Beside his footballing talent and impressive physique he was always in a good mood. He was the current captain of our under-21 side, which is testament to his good character and leadership skills."

The statement from the Belgian FA website reveals that, alongside his sporting talent, he was a young man with a positive frame of mind. Sad that such a passing should act as a reminder, but if I have initially taken anything from this shocking news it's that life shouldn't be taken for granted. We are far frailer than we think.