Kevin Keegan, the former England and Newcastle United manager, has died at the age of 75 after a battle with advanced cancer, his family announced.
The legendary forward, who won the Ballon d'Or twice and multiple First Division titles with Liverpool, passed away surrounded by his wife and daughters.
"It is with immense sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75," read a family statement.
The family expressed gratitude to the medical professionals who managed his treatment.
"A double Ballon D’or winner, Kevin was a much loved husband, father and grandfather. The family would like to thank Kevin’s incredible medical team for all their support.
This is a hugely difficult time and they are requesting space and privacy," the statement continued.
Playing Career and Rise to Stardom
Keegan began his professional playing career at Scunthorpe before Liverpool manager Bill Shankly secured his transfer for £33,000 in 1971.
At Liverpool, he won three league titles and a European Cup, crediting Shankly for his development.
"I learned so much from Shanks.
He used to say: ‘If I was a road-sweeper, my street would be the cleanest in the borough.’
I took that to heart," Keegan once said.
He later moved to German club Hamburg, where he won consecutive European Footballer of the Year honors, before returning to domestic football with Southampton and Newcastle until his retirement in 1984.
Known for his intense demeanor, Keegan often clashed with administrators and opponents.
"I don’t like people to deceive me and tell me lies," he told The Guardian in 2018.
His popularity extended beyond sport into endorsements, television, and music collaborations.
Keegan held profound admiration for Northern Irish talent George Best, ranking him above other icons. "I played against Cruyff, Beckenbauer, Maradona.
But I still say Besty was the best I played against," he told Simon Hatterstone.
After retiring at 33, Keegan moved his family to Spain to escape public scrutiny, calling it "the best decision I made in my life."
He explained that stepping away at his peak prevented decline. "I was at the highest level and the only way was down.
I call it the glass mountain – you can’t climb a glass mountain," he said.
Keegan transitioned into management with Newcastle in 1992, guiding them to the Premier League, before coaching the England national team and Manchester City.
In his later years, his traditional views on football occasionally sparked controversy.
"I don’t like to listen to ladies talking about the England men’s team at the match because I don’t think it’s the same experience," he said at a public event in Bristol in 2023.
