Former Liverpool goalkeeper Alex Manninger has passed away at the age of 48, with Austrian media reporting that his car was struck by a train on Thursday.
Austrian newspaper Kronen Zeitung reports that Manninger died on Thursday morning after his car was hit by a train at an unguarded level crossing.
Emergency services attended but were unsuccessful in their attempts to resuscitate the former goalkeeper, who lost his life at the scene.
Manninger was alone in his car at the time and neither the train driver nor an estimated 25 passengers were harmed in the incident.
The 33-cap Austria international played for 14 different clubs in his career, retiring in 2017 after a single season at Liverpool.
He did not make a competitive appearance for Jurgen Klopp‘s side but played a vital role in training as a veteran presence alongside the likes of Loris Karius and Simon Mignolet.
In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this month, Manninger reflected on his time at Liverpool and the “thrill” of calling time on his career while at Anfield.
“It all started with a phone call. Jurgen knew everything about me; two years earlier I had beaten his Dortmund side with Augsburg,” he said.
“[Klopp said]: ‘I want that goalkeeper. You saved everything from us that day, you have to do the same to me’.
“In reality, I never played, but I was 40. Leaving football and saying goodbye to the Kop fans was a thrill.”
* This Is Anfield extends our best wishes to Manninger’s family and friends at this tough time.