Kevin Keegan, England football icon and two-time Ballon d'Or winner, dies at 75
Kevin Keegan, the two-time Ballon d'Or-winning footballer who captained England and won the European Cup with Liverpool, has died at the age of 75. His death was announced on Monday by his former club Newcastle United, where he had played and coached. Keegan had revealed last month that he was suffering from stage four cancer. Newcastle described him as 'one of the most iconic, influential and deeply loved figures in our club's history.'
Keegan was more than a brilliant footballer. He combined nimbleness, a sharp eye for goal, and relentless work rate stemming from his working-class upbringing in northern England. He was also a trendsetter off the field, known for his perm hairstyle that many other footballers copied, and for venturing into celebrity culture with a single, an aftershave advertisement, and television appearances.
He was a trailblazer as one of the first English players to move to a continental club, leaving Liverpool for Hamburger SV in 1977 after winning the European Cup. At Hamburg, he won the Ballon d'Or in 1978 and 1979 and reached another European Cup final in 1980. Keegan scored 21 goals in 63 appearances for England and played in the 1982 World Cup, his only major tournament appearance.
His coaching career spanned from 1992 to 2008. He notably almost led Newcastle to the Premier League title in 1995-96 before a late-season collapse, and later managed England for 20 months, resigning after a home loss to Germany in World Cup qualifying. Keegan was born in Doncaster on February 14, 1951, and began his career at Scunthorpe before joining Liverpool in 1971. Under manager Bill Shankly, he formed a famous striking partnership with John Toshack, leading Liverpool to multiple trophies including the European Cup in 1977.
Keegan's legacy is remembered with great respect by the clubs he represented. Liverpool said his legacy 'will be forever etched in history,' while Hamburg called him 'an exceptional player and one of the best footballers ever to wear the crest on his chest.'
