Ragnar Klavan mourns Austrian goalkeeper and former teammate Alex Manninger
Former Liverpool FC and Estonian national team defender Ragnar Klavan has paid tribute to his former teammate Alex Manninger, who died Thursday after a collision in his native Austria, at the age of 48.
Klavan and Manninger, who was also capped by Austria 33 times and played in the 2008 European Championships, were teammates both at Liverpool and before that for four years at FC Augsburg in the Bundesliga.
Klavan wrote on his social media account that: "We lost an incredible person far too soon. A teammate, a friend, and above all, a truly exceptional human being. We shared the pitch together, but more importantly, we shared moments that I will carry with me forever."
"He was one of the kindest and most professional people I have ever met. Always there for others, always giving his best — not just in football, but in life. Someone you could trust, respect, and learn from every single day."
"The world has lost an amazing father, a loyal friend, and a person who made everyone around him better," Klavan added.
Manninger also played for Arsenal, Bologna, Udinese and Juventus during his career, as well as several other big clubs.
Manninger was the sole occupant of a vehicle which was struck by a train on a level crossing near Salzburg Thursday morning. While surviving the initial impact, he later passed at the scene, which had been attended by paramedics.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
