The body of Swiss national soccer team player Florijana Ismaili was recovered Tuesday, three days after she went missing in a swimming accident in Italy, officials said.
Ismaili, 24, who played 33 times for Switzerland and was captain of Young Boys Bern’s women’s team, did not surface Saturday after jumping from a boat into Lake Como in northern Italy.
“The Swiss Football Federation (SFV) has the painful task of informing about the death of its national player Florijana Ismaili. We are all upset, deeply affected and very, very sad,” the organization said in a statement.
“The SFV expresses its sincere condolences to the family, relatives and friends of Florijana Ismaili and wishes everyone all the strength in this difficult time.”
Italian authorities said Ismaili’s body was found at a depth of about 670 feet.
Swiss national women’s team coach Nils Nielsen said he was “deeply saddened and shaken” by her death.
“It’s hard to accept that Flori is gone. She always had a smile on her face and inspired us with her happy nature. She was someone who faced every challenge and set the example,” he added.
“I can only imagine what it must be like for all those who knew Flori longer and closer than me. But my thoughts are with them in these difficult times.”
Teammate Lia Walti, who plays in the WSL for Arsenal, said: “Until the last moment, I still had hoped for a miracle and wished in my heart that everything was just a bad dream.
“The news has hit me deeply and you can not find any right words at such a moment. I just hope very much that Flori did not have to suffer,” she added, according to the BBC.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino said in a statement that it was an “extremely sad moment for all the football community, particularly at a time when we gather at the FIFA Women’s World Cup.”