The football community is mourning the loss of promising Australian youth international Dylan Tombides after he died aged 20 following a three-year battle with cancer.
Tombides' English club West Ham United announced the Perth-born striker passed away with his family by his side on Friday having being diagnosed with testicular cancer following a routine drug test in 2011.
Tombides, who was considered one of Australia's brightest young talents and a future Socceroo, made his senior debut for the Premier League club last year while being treated for the disease.
He represented his country only three months ago at the Under 22 Asian Championship having also played for Australia at U-17 level.
West Ham will hold a minute's applause in his memory before Saturday's Premier League game against Crystal Palace at Upton Park.
Back in his homeland, Central Coast Mariners and Adelaide United players will wear black armbands and hold a minute's silence at Saturday's A-League elimination final in Gosford.
Tributes were flowing around the world for Tombides on Friday with Football Federation Australia boss David Gallop saying had Australian football had lost "a fine young man" and one of its most promising players.
"On behalf of the Australian football community, we offer our deepest condolences to Dylan's family, teammates and friends during this extremely sad time," Gallop said in a statement.
FIFA president Sepp Blatter also offered his condolences on twitter, as did many fans, officials and players.
Socceroos star Tim Cahill tweeted: "I'm always grateful for life and I will pray for you. Rest in Peace my brother Dylan Tombides."
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce described Tombides as "one of the bravest characters I have ever met".
"Nobody fought his dreadful disease as hard as this lad," Allardyce said.
"Football was his life and he didn't miss a day's training even when he wasn't fit enough to train because of his treatment.
"He had an incredible hunger for life, which was why he fought this terrible disease so strongly. All of our thoughts are with Dylan's family at this time."
Tombides played his early football in Perth and Hong Kong before joining West Ham as a 15-year-old.
After impressive performances for the Hammers at youth and reserve levels, he was named on the bench for the final Premier League fixture of the 2010/11 season against Sunderland.
In June 2011 Tombides represented Australia at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Mexico where his disease was diagnosed when a random doping test uncovered a tumour in one of his testicles.
After treatment and months of recovery in London, Tombides battled back to make his West Ham first-team debut off the substitutes bench in a League Cup match against Wigan in 2012.
Tombides had been having treatment in Germany recently and spent his 20th birthday in hospital, posting a thank you message on twitter to those who had supported him and vowing to continue fighting the disease.
Tombides had also worked hard to raise awareness of male cancer, supporting the One for the Boys campaign at a number of high-profile events with Hollywood star Samuel L Jackson, snooker player Jimmy White and singer Peter Andre.
Tombides' brother Taylor, a West Ham youth player, tweeted: "R.I.P. Dylan my beloved brother you will be missed, but never forgotten you was a massive inspiration to everyone."
