Alex Manninger, a former Arsenal goalkeeper who also represented Austria internationally, has died at the age of 48 following a collision involving his car and a train.
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Police said the incident occurred around 8:20 a.m. local time near Salzburg at a level crossing. First responders attempted to revive Manninger after freeing him from the vehicle, but he could not be resuscitated. Authorities said the train driver was not injured.
Manninger made 64 appearances for Arsenal from 1997 to 2002 and was part of the club's Premier League and FA Cup-winning squad in the 1997-98 season. He earned 33 caps for Austria national soccer team and was included in the squad for Euro 2008.
During his time in England, Manninger often served as backup to David Seaman but played a key role late in the 1997-98 season, including strong performances in league and FA Cup matches. He was named Premier League Player of the Month for March 1998.
Over a professional career that spanned multiple countries, Manninger also played for clubs including Juventus, Udinese and FC Augsburg. He later signed with Liverpool in 2016 but did not make a first-team appearance.
Tributes came from across the football community. Arsenal said it was "shocked and deeply saddened," while Juventus described Manninger as "a man of rare values," praising his humility and professionalism.
Peter Schottel of the Austrian Football Association called Manninger "an outstanding ambassador for Austrian football."
He is survived by his family.
