FORMER Austria and Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger has died in an accident at the age of 48, the Austrian Football Association (OEFB) has confirmed.
Manninger, who also played for a bunch of Italian clubs in his career, lost his life today in his home country.
The Kronen Zeitung and other media reported that Manninger’s vehicle was hit by a passenger train at an unrestricted crossing near the Austrian city of Salzburg.
Manninger featured 33 times for Austria and played for Arsenal, mainly as a reserve, between 1997 and 2001.
He ended his career at Liverpool (2016-2017) after playing in Italy for Fiorentina, Torino, Bologna, Siena, Udinese and Juventus.
“Alexander Manninger was an outstanding ambassador of Austrian football on and off the pitch,” said OEFB Sporting Director Peter Schoettel in a statement.
“With his international career, he has set standards and inspired and shaped many young goalkeepers. His professionalism, his calmness and his reliability made him an important part of his teams and also of the national team.”
