The Australian football community is in mourning after Macarthur FC star Ulises Dávila’s wife died suddenly this week.
The former Mexican international and Chelsea football star is one of the biggest names in the Australian A-League and the 31-year-old shares a child, Uli Jnr, with his late wife.
Tributes have been flowing in from A-League clubs and the international football community, with the A-League social media account posting: ‘Everyone at the A-Leagues is saddened to hear @mfcbulls’ tragic news that Ulises Dávila’s wife, Lily, passed away overnight,’ he said.
‘We are saddened to hear Ulises Dávila’s wife, Lily has tragically passed away overnight. The club would like to express its heartfelt condolences to Uli, Uli Jnr and the extended family during this difficult time,’ Macarthur FC posted.
Dávila spoke on the My Football Podcast this year about a crossroads in his career that could have led to his premature retirement, if it was not for his late wife’s support.
Mcarthur FC star Ulises Dávila with his wife Lily and son Uli junior before her tragic death
The superstar was offered a contract with the Delhi Dynamos in India when Dávila was contemplating retirement but the support from Lily inspired him to give the sport one last crack which rejuvenated his love for the game.
‘One moment I was thinking … if India doesn’t work, I am just going to retire and I don’t want to know more about football,’ he said.
‘My wife said ‘whatever you want, whatever you need, I will follow you or stay, whatever you want’.
‘I thought, maybe it is time to reset and change all of my life. Let’s try again.
‘I said I am going and she said ‘perfect’. ‘I played a few games in India and told my wife ‘I can still play’.
Dávila then signed for the Wellington Phoenix in 2019 where he won the Johnny Warren Medal as the league’s best player in 2020-21. But it was not without fresh challenges.
Covid restrictions separated Dávila from his wife during the pandemic and he had to meet his son for the first time using Facetime.
‘When you’re training and they tell you that your son was born,’ he posted on Instagram at the time.
‘We will have a lot of fun together in this little life. I love you, soon we will meet.’
His wife and child were finally allowed to move in 2021 and Dávila said the separation had been hard to handle.
‘When you’re on the pitch, you don’t think of these things, but during the week, you’re more stressed and you overthink, so for sure, it affects you,’ Davila said during his time at Wellington.
‘I can now be happy with them and can focus on football, and not have to worry about many FaceTime calls with them.
‘It’s an amazing feeling and I’m so happy to bring them here. Everything is perfect now, so I can just focus on football now.’
Davila then finished the 2021-22 season as top goalscorer for Macarthur FC and was named the members’ player of the year.
Covid restrictions separated Dávila from his wife during the pandemic and he had to meet his son for the first time using Facetime.
‘When you’re training and they tell you that your son was born,’ he posted on Instagram at the time.
‘We will have a lot of fun together in this little life. I love you, soon we will meet.’
The couple were happy living in Sydney after they were separated during the Covid pandemic
His wife and child were finally allowed to move in 2021 and Dávila said the separation had been hard to handle.
‘When you’re on the pitch, you don’t think of these things, but during the week, you’re more stressed and you overthink, so for sure, it affects you,’ Davila said during his time at Wellington.
‘I can now be happy with them and can focus on football, and not have to worry about many FaceTime calls with them.
‘It’s an amazing feeling and I’m so happy to bring them here. Everything is perfect now, so I can just focus on football now.’
Dávila then finished the 2021-22 season as top goalscorer for Macarthur FC and was named the members’ player of the year.
Dávila was the leading goalscorer for Macarthur FC in their most recent A-League campaign
Rival A-League clubs were all unified in grief and offer their love and support through social media.
‘Everyone at Sydney FC would like to pass on their deepest condolences to Macarthur FC midfielder Ulises Dávila and his family upon the tragic news of his wife’s passing overnight. Our thoughts are with the Mexican at this time,’ Sydney FC posted.
‘Our Wanderers Family extends our condolences to Macarthur FC’s midfielder Ulises Dávila and his family, following the devastating news of his wife’s passing overnight,’ Wanderers FC posted.
Brisbane Roar was one of several other clubs to share their condolences as well, posting: ‘All of us at Brisbane Roar FC send our deepest condolences. We are sorry to hear this terrible news.’
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