Former Maldives national football team midfielder Mohamed Arif, widely known as Baka, passed away today while receiving treatment in the ICU at ADK Hospital.

The 38-year-old football star had recently returned from Saudi Arabia after performing the Hajj pilgrimage, invited by King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Baka was admitted to ADK Hospital following severe breathing difficulties, which were believed to be caused by a serious respiratory infection.

Despite efforts to save him, Baka's condition worsened, and he was declared dead.

Reports confirm that his death resulted from an invasive meningococcal infection, marking the first known case of this kind in the Maldives.

Mohamed Arif, originally from Hithadhoo, Addu City, gained recognition at the age of 19 in 2004 while playing for IFC, a football club on his home island.

He earned the nickname "Baka" from his former coach Mauroof Ahmed (Maatte), who named him after a foreign midfielder from the club Victory.

Ascending through the ranks, Arif eventually joined the Maldives national team and played a pivotal role in their victory at the SAFF Championship held in Maldives and Sri Lanka in 2008.

He continued to contribute significantly, serving as the oldest player when the team secured another SAFF Championship in 2018.

In 2015, Arif ventured into international football by joining Myanmar's KBZ FC, where his team secured second place in the league that year.

Despite facing injuries and fitness challenges, he remained committed to football, though he opted out of the last two seasons of the Maldivian top division, clarifying that he was not retiring from the sport entirely.

Arif's last competitive appearance was with Club Eagles in the final qualifying match of the 2021 AFC Cup against Bangalore FC of India.

Additionally, in 2019, he established his own football academy on Dhidhdhoo island in Haa Alifu Atoll, aiming to nurture young football talent in the Maldives