Samuel L Jackson pays tribute to footballer

London: Hollywood star Samuel L Jackson has paid tribute to Australian footballer Dylan Tombides, who passed away on Friday. The 20-year-old West Ham player died after a long battle with testicular cancer. Jackson sent his condolences to Tombides`s family following the tragic news and posted a picture of himself and the late sportsman on his Twitter account, reportedly. The pair met at a cancer awareness event last November. The actor tweeted, "Gone too soon Dylan Tombides. It was a pleasure to have met you. My thoughts are with your family." West Ham United announced Tombides` death in a statement. "Dylan was respected by everyone who knew him for his intelligent views on the game and his larger than life character. "He was a loving son, amazing brother and well-respected member of the West Ham squad. He will be hugely missed by everyone who had the honour of knowing him. Dylan`s amazing resilience and positivity saw him through months of surgery and chemotherapy, while his outstanding talent saw him make his first-team debut in a League Cup tie with Wigan Athletic at the Boleyn Ground in September 2012," the club said. The striker made his debut at the club two years ago. He previously represented Australia in the Under-17 World Cup and went on to play for the Under-23 team.