Kevin Keegan died at the age of 75.
It was announced in January that the former England player and manager had been diagnosed with stage four cancer, with his family saying he was set to begin treatment.
“It is with great sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75,” Keegan’s family said in a statement.
“The former England player and manager battled cancer and was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments.
“Kevin, a two-time Ballon d’Or winner, 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 an extremely difficult time and they require space and privacy.”
In January, it was announced that Kevin Keegan had been diagnosed with stage four cancer.
Keegan was considered one of the best players of his generation and enjoyed a stellar playing career, making almost 750 appearances for the club, lifting the First Division trophy three times with Liverpool and winning back-to-back Ballon d’Or awards in 1978 and 1979 while playing for Hamburg in the Bundesliga.
Liverpool players Ian Callaghan, Kevin Keegan and Ray Clemence take part in the FA Cup parade.
Liverpool striker Kevin Keegan during the match against QPR
Seven years after his retirement, he took up his first coaching position as manager of a struggling Newcastle team in February 1992. The Magpies were in danger of relegation to the Second Division, but Keegan kept them going and then led them to the Premier League in his first full season in charge. Then, in 1996, he brought Newcastle closer to their first top-flight title since 1927.
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Kevin Keegan’s main awards as a player
- Liverpool: First Division x3, FA Cup, European Cup, UEFA Cup x2
- Hamburg: Bundesliga
- Golden Ball x2
Newcastle were favorites to win the Premier League title for much of the 1995/96 season, at one stage leading Manchester United by 12 points. But a dramatic collapse from Keegan, combined with a Sir Alex Ferguson-inspired Manchester United winning 13 of their last 15 matches, ultimately saw Newcastle finish second by four points.
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Remembering Kevin Keegan’s iconic speech to Sir Alex Ferguson at the height of the title race between Newcastle and Manchester United.
Late defeats to Liverpool and Nottingham Forest during the run-in saw United eventually pull them out. As pressure mounted on a beleaguered Keegan, desperate to deliver the title to passionate Newcastle fans, his infamous “I’d have loved it…” post-match interview after the Leeds win, directed at Sir Alex in particular, sadly characterized his time at St James’ Park.
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Kevin Keegan’s main awards as a coach
- Newcastle United: Football League First Division
- Fulham: Football League Second Division
- Manchester City: Football League First Division
He will continue to coach England, for whom he scored 21 goals in 63 games as a player between February 1999 and October 2000, resigning minutes after a 1-0 defeat to Germany in the last game played at the old Wembley Stadium.
Kevin Keegan celebrates scoring against Scotland at Wembley in 1979.
During his time as national coach, England also failed to progress out of the Euro 2000 group stage despite beating Germany 1-0, and defeats to Portugal and Romania piled on the pressure even before that defeat to Dietmar Hamann from a free-kick four months later in the first 2002 World Cup qualifier.
A spell at Manchester City followed, which included promotion to the Premier League in 2002 as First Division champions, but Keegan left the club in March 2005, initially announcing his retirement from football.
Keegan made an emotional return to Newcastle in 2008 but lasted just eight months due to disagreements with the board and owner Mike Ashley.
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