Alex Manninger, the former Austrian football goalkeeper, tragically passed away following a car accident with the local railway in Salzburg on Thursday. He was 48 years old.
Beginning his football journey at Austria Salzburg, Alexander Manninger made history in 1997 by becoming the first Austrian player to sign with Arsenal in the Premier League.
During his time with the Gunners, he made 39 appearances and was part of the team that secured both the league title and the FA Cup in the 1997/98 season.
After leaving Arsenal, Manninger primarily played in Serie A, accumulating 137 matches in Italy’s top flight. He particularly shone at AC Siena and Juventus, where he was notably the backup to Gianluigi Buffon, featuring five times in the Champions League.
Following his stay in Turin, the Salzburg-born keeper transferred to the Bundesliga’s FC Augsburg and concluded his professional playing career at Liverpool.
On the international stage, Manninger earned 33 caps for Austria and was part of the squad as the second-choice goalkeeper during UEFA Euro 2008.
Details of the accident remain unclear
The accident took place around 8:20am local time at an unguarded level crossing near Pabing in Salzburg, where Manninger’s vehicle collided with a local train. Fortunately, around 25 passengers and the train driver were unharmed.
Emergency services quickly responded, but despite attempts at first aid, Manninger was declared deceased at the scene.
Ongoing investigation
Authorities are currently investigating the precise circumstances surrounding the accident. At the time of the incident, Manninger was the sole occupant of the vehicle.
Compiled by SportArena.au
Fanpage: SportArena.au.
LiveScore – Live Sports Results & Odds.
