Charlotte FC defender Anton Walkes, who previously played for Tottenham Hotspur, died Thursday after an accident in Florida, his soccer club announced. He was 25.
Walkes was found unconscious Wednesday in Miami following a crash between two boats, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission told the Miami Herald. He was reportedly hospitalized in critical condition prior to his death.
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“We are heartbroken from the loss of Anton Walkes, a truly incredible father, loving person, and outstanding human being,” said Zoran Krneta, the sporting director of Charlotte FC. “Anton embodied what it means to be a part of Charlotte Football Club and our entire community is grieving over this tragedy.”
The London-born Walkes debuted with Tottenham in 2016, three years after signing with the English Premier League club at age 16.
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He played on loan the following year with the Major League Soccer club Atlanta United, starting 17 of 20 games and scoring two goals during the 2017 season. Walkes went back to England to play with Portsmouth F.C. before returning to Atlanta, where he appeared in 50 games with the club across 2020 and 2021.
Charlotte FC selected Walkes in the 2021 MLS expansion draft. The defender, who wore No. 5, started 20 of 23 games during the club’s inaugural season in 2022.
“The impact he made in the locker room and throughout Charlotte will never be forgotten,” Krneta said. “We are thinking of his lovely family during this time and will support them fully in every way imaginable.”
In a tribute Thursday, Atlanta United described Walkes as “the epitome of a great teammate.”
“There are no words to describe the sorrow of everyone in Major League Soccer today after learning of the tragic passing of Anton Walkes of Charlotte FC,” the MLS said in a statement. “Anton was a talented and dedicated player who was loved by his teammates and fans.”
