Kevin Keegan, Football Legend and Double Ballon d'Or Winner, Dies at 75

The death of Kevin Keegan, regarded as one of the greatest football players of his generation, was announced in a statement released by his family on Monday.

"It is with immense sadness that we announce that Kevin Keegan has passed away at the age of 75," the statement read.

"Kevin had been battling cancer and was surrounded by his wife and daughters in his final moments. A double Ballon d'Or winner, Kevin was a much-loved husband, father and grandfather."

Born in Doncaster, South Yorkshire on February 14, 1951, Keegan got his big break when he was signed by Liverpool's legendary manager Bill Shankly in 1971.

At Anfield, Keegan struck up a striking partnership with Welshman John Toshack, going on to win the First Division title three times as well as the FA Cup, the UEFA Cup twice and the 1977 European Cup. He made 323 appearances, scoring 100 goals for Liverpool.

Success in the Bundesliga

From Merseyside, Keegan moved on to the Bundesliga's Hamburg, where he was twice named European Footballer of the Year, which is now called the Ballon d'Or, in 1978 and 1979. With Hamburg, he won the Bundesliga in 1978-79 and played in another European Cup final, a 1980 loss to Nottingham Forest. He left the club having scored 32 goals in 90 appearances.

Hamburg were among the former teams to pay tribute to Keegan in a statement on their website on Monday.

"In Kevin Keegan, world football loses one of its most defining figures. Hamburger SV will always cherish the memory of its former title-winning player and two-time Ballon d'Or winner," the statement said.

Our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and all those who shared his journey. Rest in peace, "Mighty Mouse."

Return to England

Following his stint in West Germany, Keegan returned to England with Southampton in the summer of 1980 before moving to Second Division Newcastle, helping the club win promotion back to the top flight – before retiring as a player.

He won 63 England caps, scoring 21 goals, playing at the 1982 World Cup and was also later captain of the national team.

Stepping into management

In 1992, Keegan moved into management at Newcastle, leading them into the Premier League and to within touching distance of the 1995-96 title, but they missed out to Manchester United.

The club also paid tribute to Keegan in a statement issued on Monday afternoon, describing him as "the beating heart of Newcastle for generations of supporters."

After leaving St James' Park in January 1997, a brief stint at Fulham followed before he became England manager in 1999. After overseeing a disappointing Euro 2000 campaign, Keegan resigned minutes after a 1-0 defeat by Germany in World Cup qualifying, the last match played at the original Wembley Stadium.

He later managed Manchester City, before returning to Newcastle.

Keegan's family had revealed in January that he had been diagnosed with cancer, which later spread to stage four.