A soccer club in Germany has announced that one of its players died "unexpectedly" last week, and his teammates have come together to pay tribute.

Luca Meixner, 22, died on Friday, Dec. 27, leaving his teammates "stunned," his club SSV Reutlingen announced in a translated website statement and on Instagram over the weekend.

"His teammates, all committees and employees mourn with Lucas's relatives and our thoughts are with his family, friends and companions," the statement read. "We ask that you respect the privacy of Luca’s family during this difficult time."

SSV Reutlingen did not reveal a cause of death.

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Alongside the statement, the club shared a black-and-white image of the young player, as well as images of his framed photo sitting on the ground next to a candle and a scarf.

In one photo, shared to SSV Reutlingen's website, members of the team could be seen holding up an apparent flare alongside a large banner that reads, "ruhe in drieden Luca," or "rest in peace, Luca," seemingly outside of the club's stadium.

Multiple other clubs and players mourned Meixner under the Instagram post, offering "heartfelt condolences and lots of strength" and "strength in these difficult hours of mourning."

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According to the club's website, Meixner had been a midfielder for them since 2021. After he extended his contract with the club for the 2024-25 season, Reutlingen issued a news release, translated to English, noting that the Reutlingen native "went through all of the club's youth teams" in the years prior and was known for his "dynamism and aggressiveness," as well as scoring goals.

Per the club, he played 26 times last season, with him and the other athletes described as a "very good team for the coming season" in a translated quote from the club's website.

Meixner reportedly played in his team's most recent game on Dec. 7 before they finished 1-1 against TSG Balingen, per online stats.

"I am very happy to be playing for SSV Reutlingen for another year, which has been my home for over 10 years," he said in a release from the club, roughly translated to English. "Even as a youth, I learned in this club how important the right values ​​are for success. I hope that we can build on these values ​​again in the coming season and, with a lot of solidarity, hard work and the necessary team spirit, we can compete at the top."

SSV Reutlingen is set to play next in early March.

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