Kevin Keegan, the two-time Golden Ball winner and former England national team player, died at the age of 76. His family confirmed he passed away after battling cancer at the age of 75, surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments.
The announcement came on July 20 following reports that Keegan was diagnosed with stage IV cancer in January of this year. A player renowned for his excellence during his generation, Keegan played nearly 750 club matches throughout his career. At Liverpool, he won the English First Division championship four times.
His most celebrated individual achievement was securing consecutive Golden Ball awards in 1978 and 1979 while representing Hamburg. As a coach, Keegan is best known for his tenure at Newcastle United, which began in February 1992. He saved the club from relegation to the second division and guided them back to the Premier League the following season.
During the 1995/96 campaign, Newcastle finished as runners-up by a margin of 12 points but ultimately lost the title to Manchester United. That period remains remembered for Keegan’s emotional interview after a match against Leeds United, where he discussed the coaching decisions of Alex Ferguson at Manchester United.
