NEWCASTLE — Kevin Keegan, the two-time Ballon d’Or recipient who led and managed England’s national side and lifted the European Cup with Liverpool, has died. He was 75.
His passing was confirmed by his former club Newcastle, where he played and later coached. Keegan disclosed last month that he was battling stage four cancer.
During the 1970s, Keegan rose above the domestic game through his widespread fame.
One of only four English players to claim the Ballon d’Or, he combined quick footwork, scoring instinct and tireless effort rooted in his northern working-class roots.
Off the pitch he set trends with his distinctive perm hairstyle, adopted by other players across Europe, and entered celebrity circles by releasing a song, appearing in an after-shave commercial alongside boxer Henry Cooper and featuring on television programs.
He also helped pioneer overseas moves by English players when he joined German side Hamburger SV in 1977 after securing the European Cup with Liverpool.
While at Hamburg he earned the Ballon d’Or in 1978 and 1979 and reached another European Cup final, losing to Nottingham Forest in 1980.
