Tamara Mendler died on Saturday night at the age of 32 after a short, serious illness.
Markus, 33, is a former Bundesliga player with FC Nürnberg and currently plays for FC Homburg in Germany’s fourth tier. Tamara was also a professional footballer and previously played for Saarbrücken, where the couple met.
News of her death emerged after Markus missed last Friday’s match against FSV Frankfurt due to personal reasons.
FC Homburg released a statement: “It is with great shock and deep sadness that we learned of the death of our player Markus Mendler’s wife.
Tamara Mendler passed away far too soon on Saturday night after a short, serious illness.
Just a few days ago, she gave birth to a healthy child. This devastating loss is all the more incomprehensible and painful, leaving us all speechless.
In this dark and difficult time, our deepest sympathies go out to Markus, his two children, and all his family.
Words can hardly express what such a loss means. We are thinking of you, grieving with you, and wishing you all the strength in the world during this difficult time.
As a club, we stand firmly together: Markus can be assured of our unconditional support. We will assist him and his family in every way possible.”
Saarbrücken also paid tribute: “It is with deep sadness that 1. FC Saarbrücken learned of the death of Tamara Mendler.
For many years, she was an important part of our women’s team and her personality left a lasting mark on the club.
On and off the pitch, she was a valued teammate and a role model.
Our thoughts are especially with her husband Markus Mendler, their children, and all relatives and friends during these difficult hours.”