Liverpool’s Kevin Keegan dies at 75 after battle with cancer

Former England captain and manager Kevin Keegan has died at the age of 75, seven weeks after revealing he had been diagnosed with stage four cancer.

The football world has paid tribute to one of England’s greatest-ever players, a charismatic forward whose achievements at club and international level made him a global football icon.

Born on 14 February 1951 in Armthorpe, Doncaster, Keegan began his professional career at Scunthorpe United in 1968 before earning a move to Liverpool in 1971, where he became one of the most important figures in the club’s golden era under manager Bill Shankly.

At Anfield, Keegan formed a famous partnership with John Toshack and helped Liverpool dominate English and European football.

During his six years at the club, he won three First Division titles (1972–73, 1975–76, 1976–77), one FA Cup (1975–76), one European Cup (1976–77), two UEFA Cups (1972–73 and 1975–76) and one UEFA Super Cup (1976).

In 1977, Keegan moved to Hamburg SV in Germany, where he continued his rise as one of Europe’s best players.

He won the Bundesliga title in 1978–79 and was named European Footballer of the Year (Ballon d’Or) in 1978 and 1979, becoming the first English player to win the award twice.

After Hamburg, Keegan returned to England with Southampton, where he remained a prolific goalscorer, before finishing his playing career at Newcastle United from 1982 to 1984.

Across his club career, he scored more than 200 goals and became one of the most popular figures in English football.

At international level, Keegan earned 63 caps for England between 1972 and 1982, scoring 21 goals and captaining the national team.

Although he never won a major international trophy with England, he was regarded as one of the country’s finest attacking players of his generation.

After retiring as a player, Keegan moved into management and enjoyed success with Newcastle United, guiding the club from the second tier back to the Premier League and transforming them into title challengers during the famous “Entertainers” era in the 1990s. Newcastle finished runners-up in the 1995–96 Premier League season under his leadership.

Keegan later managed Fulham, winning promotion to the Premier League in 1998–99, before taking charge of the England national team in 1999.

He helped England qualify for Euro 2000 but resigned in 2000 after a difficult start to the campaign.

Keegan also managed Manchester City, leading them back to the Premier League and securing European qualification before leaving in 2005.

His second spell at Newcastle came in 2008.

Known for his passion, attacking football philosophy and emotional connection with supporters, Keegan remains one of the most influential personalities in English football history.

His famous “I would love it” speech during Newcastle’s 1995–96 title challenge became one of the Premier League’s most memorable moments.