Former Arsenal and Liverpool goalkeeper Alex Manninger has died aged 48. The Austrian international was killed in a tragic collision between his car and a train near his hometown of Salzburg.
The accident occurred at approximately 8.20am on Thursday at a level crossing in Pabing, near Nussdorf am Haunsberg. According to local reports, Manninger was alone in his Volkswagen minivan when it was struck by the train. The vehicle was dragged several metres by the impact. First responders freed him from the wreckage and paramedics provided emergency aid at the scene, but they were unable to resuscitate him. The train driver and approximately 25 passengers were unharmed.
Investigation focuses on crossing signals and vehicle data
An investigation by the public prosecutor is ongoing. As part of the inquiry, authorities are expected to examine electronic data from Manninger’s vehicle. The operational status of the red signal at the level crossing is also set to be scrutinised to determine whether it was functioning correctly at the time of the incident.
Tributes from across the football world began swiftly. Austria Salzburg, the club where he began his career in 1984, was the first to express its shock. “Alexander was not only a part of the Austrian family from 1984 to 1996, but above all a person who left his mark – on and off the pitch,” the club stated.
Manninger made history as the first Austrian to play in the Premier League when he signed for Arsenal in 1997. During his time in north London, he made 64 appearances and was part of the squad that won the Premier League and FA Cup double in 1998. He notably stepped in for an injured David Seaman during that title-winning campaign, keeping a club-record six consecutive top-flight clean sheets. Arsenal said everyone at the club was “shocked and deeply saddened”.
After leaving Arsenal, his career included spells at Torino, Siena, Udinese, and Augsburg. He joined Juventus in 2008 as understudy to Gianluigi Buffon and won the Serie A title with the club in 2012. Juventus paid tribute to “a man of rare values: humility, dedication, and an exceptional professional seriousness.” Buffon himself posted a poignant tribute on Instagram, recalling a friend who had “the strength to walk away” from football’s spotlight to find happiness in family, nature, and a simpler life.
Red Bull Salzburg, the club formed after the purchase of Austria Salzburg in 2005, also mourned their former player. Manninger’s final professional season was spent at Liverpool in 2016-17, where he was brought in as experienced goalkeeping cover. The club noted he featured in two friendly fixtures and extended its thoughts to his family.
On the international stage, Manninger earned 33 caps for Austria between 1999 and 2009 and was part of the squad for UEFA Euro 2008. The Austrian Football Association (OFB) stated the news was “deeply upsetting” and that football had lost “a special person.” OFB sporting director Peter Schottel said Manninger had been “an outstanding ambassador for Austrian football” whose career “inspired and influenced many young goalkeepers.”
Before his football career took off, Manninger was a trained carpenter. After retiring in 2017, he returned to that world, focusing on furniture and real estate. He ran a home renovation business and a joinery company in Salzburg, building a successful post-playing life. Estimates of his net worth, attributed to his football earnings and his business ventures, ranged from $3 million to $7 million. He was married with two children and was known for valuing a private life away from the public eye.
