Bangkok: The football world has mourned the passing of Kevin Keegan after his former club, Newcastle United, announced on Monday that Keegan had died at the age of 75.
According to Thai News Agency, Keegan's family, along with Newcastle United Football Club, had initially announced in January that the two-time European Footballer of the Year was undergoing treatment for cancer. They did not disclose details of his illness at that time. It wasn't until June that Keegan revealed he had been diagnosed with stage four cancer. Known affectionately as "King Kev" and "Mighty Mouse," Keegan was regarded as one of the most influential figures in English football.
Keegan began his illustrious playing career with Scunthorpe United before moving to Liverpool in 1971. During his six seasons at Anfield, he made 323 appearances, scoring 100 goals, and securing three First Division titles, the FA Cup, two UEFA Cups, and the European Cup in 1977. His time at Hamburg saw him winning the European Footballer of the Year award twice, in 1978 and 1979, making him the only English player to win the Ballon d'Or twice. He later played for Southampton and Newcastle, retiring in 1984 at the age of 33. On the international stage, Keegan scored 21 goals in 63 appearances for England, captaining the team 31 times.
Keegan's managerial career began at Newcastle United in 1992, where he led the team to Premier League promotion. His tenure saw Newcastle United transformed into an exciting club, nearly winning the Premier League title in the 1995-96 season before being overtaken by Manchester United. After departing Newcastle in 1997, Keegan managed Fulham briefly and then took over as England manager in 1999. He led the national team to seven wins in 18 matches but resigned after Euro 2000, citing that he was not suitable for the role.
Following his resignation as England manager, Keegan took charge of Manchester City until 2005 and initially retired from football. However, he returned to manage Newcastle United again in 2008, although his second stint lasted only eight months.