Matthias Verreth's one-year-old son dies: the team's touching decision

These are hours of deep grief for Matthias Verreth's family, his team, and the football world as a whole, in disbelief at the news of the death of their son Elliot Charles at just one year old. The Belgian footballer, a Bari midfielder who grew up in the PSV youth system, was on a training camp with the team in Roccaraso. Shortly after the tragic news was made official, Bari made an important decision.

Footballer Matthias Verreth's one-year-old son dies

" We are speechless in sharing news that has deeply shocked each of us. President Luigi De Laurentiis, the coaching staff, the entire team, the management, and the red and white collaborators stand with Matthias Verreth and his family in one of the most terrible moments a parent and a human being can experience: the sudden loss of a child. We ask all fans, both male and female, to express their deepest sympathies and emotional support to Matthias, his wife, their firstborn, and all their loved ones in this moment of terrible grief," reads the message from Bari following the death of Elliot Charles, the former Brescia midfielder's one-year-old son, the footballer's second child.

"The red and white team will return to Bari today (Sunday, July 27, 2025) as a sign of mourning and respect for this tragedy," added the club, which made this important decision after learning the news. The scheduled friendly against Cavese has been canceled, and the team left Roccaraso as a sign of mourning and sympathy for the Belgian player, who played for Brescia during the 2024-25 season before signing a three-year contract with Bari in Serie B on July 16.