High-flying executive and sportsman Ben Singleton who played for Australia dies suddenly on Christmas Eve aged just 45 – devastating his family

Former Australian national soccer player Ben Singleton is being mourned after his sudden death on Christmas Eve aged just 45.

Singleton represented his country in Futsal, a form of football played mainly indoors on a hardcourt, and is survived by his wife Aki and their young daughters Evie and Joni.

One of Singleton’s former coaches announced the tragic news in a heartbreaking statement this week.

‘It is with deep, deep sadness that I write this post,’ Scott Gilligan wrote on Facebook.

‘On Christmas Eve, one of my closer friends, Ben Singleton, aka Door in the Futsal world, passed away. 

‘Door was an integral member of the Mad Alison’s, which contested 3 National Men’s Club Futsal Championship Finals in a row from 2000-2002. In the 2001 Final, Door scored the most spectacular Futsal goal I have ever seen when he back heel volleyed the ball into the opponent’s far top corner.

Ben Singleton (pictured bottom right playing Futsal for the Australian national team) is being mourned after his sudden death aged just 45

The business executive is survived by his wife Aki (pictured together) and their young daughters Evie and Joni 

Singleton (pictured with his daughters) has been remembered as a ‘legend of a bloke’

‘Door was also a key component of the Futsalroos squad I was lucky enough to coach culminating in a 2004 FIFA Futsal World Cup, scoring a goal against Thailand at that event. 

‘Over the last 15 years we had crossed paths on a number of occasions whenever we could, always catching up on old times.

‘However, all good things come to an end, sometimes sooner than you anticipate, but the memories will last forever.

‘Ben, I trust you have found peace champion.’

Singleton’s sister Megan also paid an emotional tribute, writing, ‘He was simply one of the best, kindest and most respected humans, and he will be so terribly missed.’

The former sportsman was working as the general manager of a business describing itself as ‘Australia’s top online trading company’ after previously holding high-level positions with the Bank of America and France’s Credit Agricole 

Singleton’s sister Megan called him ‘simply one of the best, kindest and most respected humans’ as she broke the tragic news on Facebook

According to Singleton’s LinkedIn profile, he recently started work as the general manager for IC Markets, which is described as ‘Australia’s top online trading company’ on its website. 

Prior to that, his profile lists him as having worked as an executive director for the French business Credit Agricole, a vice president of the Bank of America, and a foreign exchange trader for the Commonwealth Bank.

His sister’s Facebook post drew many messages of support and condolence, as did the announcement from Gilligan, who also revealed he will be wearing his Mad Alison’s shirt to the funeral ‘to honour Door’s memory, & that goal’.

Commenters on his post described Singleton as ‘an incredible human being’, a ‘legend of a bloke’ and a humble man who was ‘always happy to share knowledge of the game’.