Former Arsenal and Liverpool goalkeeper Alex Manninger dies after car is hit by train

Former Arsenal and Liverpool goalkeeper Alex Manninger has died aged 48 after his car was hit by a train in Austria on Thursday morning.

The accident occurred in Nussdorf am Haunsberg, a municipality 13 miles north of Salzburg, on Thursday at approximately 8:30am.

A train on the Salzburg Local Railway struck a VW Multivan at a small, unmanned level crossing shortly after a stop. The vehicle was propelled several meters after being hit.

Around 25 passengers on the train and the driver were unharmed but the driver of the VW Multivan was trapped in his vehicle and had to be freed by first responders before being resuscitated with a defibrillator.

Police spokeswoman Ingrid Planitzer confirmed that the driver of the vehicle later died due to serious injuries.

‘It’s essentially a service road that crosses the local railway line there. If you continue along that road, you’ll come to several holiday homes and some fish ponds,’ Matthias Ganisl, commander of the Nussdorf volunteer fire department, told Salzburger Nachrichten.

Manninger joined Arsenal from Austrian side Grazer AK in 1997 and went on to make 64 appearances for the Gunners.

He was part of the Arsenal side that won the Premier League and FA Cup double in 1998.

Speaking about his time at Arsenal in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport earlier this month, Manninger said: ‘It makes me emotional just thinking about it. I was 20, a kid. Wenger wanted to bring an international dimension to the club and focus on young players. I was one of them.

‘Arsene even introduced a training camp, which was unusual for the Premier League at the time. I have to say that, despite my age, I felt comfortable in goal, up front I had a giant like Tony Adams. He taught me so much. I only have one regret – leaving too soon. But, you know, I wanted to play.’

Manninger, who made 33 appearances for Austria’s national side, finished his career at Liverpool in 2017.

Austrian Football Association sporting director Peter Schottel said: ‘Alexander Manninger was an outstanding ambassador for Austrian football, both on and off the pitch.

‘His international career set standards and inspired and influenced many young goalkeepers. His professionalism, composure, and reliability made him an integral part of his teams and the national team.

‘His achievements deserve the utmost respect and will be unforgettable. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones during this difficult time.’

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