2002 deaths in association football

This is a list of people related to association football (players, managers, etc.) who have died in 2002:

## January

- January 1:
    - Umberto Menti (84), footballer (Vicenza, Juventus, Padova, AC Milan, Napoli, Trento), assistant manager (Vicenza), and manager (Vicenza). Brother of former Italian international footballer Romeo Menti and uncle of former Italian footballer Luigi Menti.
    - Norman Nielson (73), footballer (Charlton Athletic, Derby County, Bury, Hull City, Gresley Rovers).
- January 2:
    - Rui Campos (79), footballer (Bonsucesso, Fluminense, Bangu, São Paulo, Palmeiras, Brazil).
    - Charlie Mitten (80), footballer (Manchester United, Independiente Santa Fe, Fulham), player-manager (Mansfield Town), and manager (Newcastle United, Altrincham). Uncle of former English footballer Albert Scanlon.
- January 4:
    - Georg Ericson (82), footballer (IFK Norrköping) and manager (IFK Norrköping, Sweden).
    - Emil Hinkó (100), player-manager (Piacenza) and architect.
- January 5:
    - Bryan Thurlow (65), footballer (Norwich City, Bristol City).
- January 7:
    - Walter Warning (84), footballer (Hamburger SV, VfL Köln 1899).
- January 9:
    - Aldo Cadario (83), footballer (Torino, Brescia Calcio, Biellese, Spezia Calcio, Piombino, Cesena).
- January 13:
    - Arnolds Rubenis (91), footballer (LSB Riga).
- Janaury 14:
    - Antonio Sbardella (76), footballer, and referee (Italian Football Federation, FIFA).
- January 15:
    - Jean Dockx (60), footballer (Mechelen, Racing White, Anderlecht, Belgium) and manager (RWD Molenbeek, Royal Antwerp, Anderlecht).
    - Miguel Flores (81), footballer (Club Universidad de Chile, Chile).
    - Tomislav Kaloperović (69), footballer (BSK Beograd, Partizan, Padova, Union Saint-Gilloise, NAC, Yugoslavia) and manager (Olimpija Ljubljana, Galatasaray, Bursaspor, Partizan, Fenerbahçe, Radnički Pirot, Napredak Kruševac, Vojvodina, Apollon Smyrnis, AEL Limassol).
- January 16:
    - John Boulos (80), footballer (Brooklyn Hispano, New York Hakoah). Grandfather of former Haitian international women's footballer Kimberly Boulos.
- January 18:
    - Jean Tokpa (68), footballer (Africa Sports d'Abidjan, Montpellier, Olympique Alès, RC Paris).
- January 19:
    - Jeff Astle (59), footballer (Notts County, West Bromwich Albion, Hellenic FC, Weymouth, England).
    - Vavá (67), footballer (Sport Recife, Vasco da Gama, Atlético Madrid, Palmeiras, Club América, San Diego Toros, Portuguesa, Brazil) and manager (Córdoba, Granada, Al-Rayyan).
- January 21:
    - Zenon Snylyk (68), soccer player (Rochester Ukrainians, Ukrainian Lions, Montreal Ukrainians, New York Ukrainians, Newark Ukrainian Sitch, United States).
- January 23:
    - Domingo Drummond (44), footballer (Platense, Honduras).
    - Vittorio Mero (27), footballer (Crevalcore, Ravenna, Brescia).
    - Gerhard Prokop (62), footballer (Alemannia Aachen, Eupen) and manager (Alemannia Aachen, Westfalia Herne, Holstein Kiel, Apollon Smyrni, PAS Giannina, Aris Thessaloniki, Doxa Drama, Athinaikos, Ionikos, Apollon Kalamarias, Omonia, EN Paralimni).
    - Adilio Pugliese (75), footballer (Brescia, Crotone, Fanfulla, SPAL, Acquapozzillo).
- January 24:
    - Andrei Mercea (76), footballer (ITA Arad, CSCA București, UTA Arad, AMEF Arad, Romania).
- January 29:
    - Haim Haberfeld (70), trade union leader and chairman of the Israel Football Association (1980–1985, 1992–1993).
- January 31:
    - Ernest Butler (82), footballer (Portsmouth).
    - Gerrie Stroker (85), footballer (Blauw-Wit Amsterdam, Ajax, SpVgg Potsdam, Netherlands) and manager (Koninklijke HFC, DWS Amsterdam, RKSV Volendam).
- Date Unknown:
    - John Bone (71), footballer (Hartlepool United, Sunderland).