Former Newcastle United and England manager Kevin Keegan, one of English football’s most iconic figures, has been diagnosed with cancer at the age of 74, Sky Sports reported on Wednesday.
The news was confirmed by Keegan’s family in an official statement shared by Newcastle United. He was recently admitted to hospital for evaluation of ongoing abdominal symptoms, which led to the diagnosis.
“Kevin Keegan was recently admitted to hospital for further evaluation of ongoing abdominal symptoms. These investigations have revealed a diagnosis of cancer, for which Kevin will undergo treatment,” the statement read. “Kevin is grateful to the medical team for their intervention and ongoing care. During this difficult time, the family is requesting privacy and will be making no further comments.”
Keegan, a prolific forward, starred for Liverpool, Hamburg, and Newcastle United, and became a two-time Ballon d’Or winner during his spell in Germany. He earned 63 England caps, scoring 21 goals, and played at the 1982 World Cup, later captaining the national team.
His managerial career began in 1992 at Newcastle, where he guided the club into the Premier League and narrowly missed out on the 1995-96 title to Manchester United. He later managed Fulham briefly before taking over as England manager in 1999 following Glenn Hoddle’s departure.
After a disappointing Euro 2000 campaign and a defeat to Germany at Wembley, the stadium’s last match before reconstruction, Keegan resigned. He went on to manage Manchester City until 2005 before initially retiring.
Keegan returned to Newcastle in 2008 but left after eight months due to tensions with the board and owner Mike Ashley.
