![<p>Newcastle United post</p>
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A two-time Ballon d’Or winner, Keegan enjoyed a glittering playing career that saw him captain England, lift the European Cup with Liverpool and become one of only four Englishmen to win football’s most prestigious individual honour.
Beyond his achievements on the pitch, Keegan became a cultural icon in the 1970s. His trademark perm hairstyle inspired footballers across Europe, while his celebrity status extended into television, music and advertising. He released the single “Head Over Heels in Love,” appeared in an aftershave commercial with heavyweight boxing great Henry Cooper and was frequently featured on television shows.
Keegan was also one of the first high-profile English footballers to move abroad when he left Liverpool for German club Hamburger SV in 1977 after winning the European Cup.
“For Hamburg fans he will remain above all a crowd favorite, a unique player, and one of the best players to wear the rhombus (crest) on his chest,” said the Bundesliga club.
His move to Germany proved to be very successful. Keegan won the Ballon d’Or in 1978 and 1979 while at Hamburg, helping the club lift the Bundesliga title in 1979 before reaching the 1980 European Cup final, where they were beaten by Nottingham Forest.
“Hamburger SV will always cherish the memory of its former championship-winning player and two-time Ballon d’Or winner,” added the German club.
Born in Doncaster on February 14, 1951, Keegan began his professional career with Scunthorpe before joining Liverpool in 1971. Under legendary manager Bill Shankly, he formed a prolific strike partnership with John Toshack, helping the Reds to a league and UEFA Cup double in 1973.
During his six-year stay at Anfield, Keegan won three league titles, one FA Cup, two UEFA Cups and the club’s first European Cup in 1977. In the final against Borussia Monchengladbach, he won the penalty which Phil Neal converted in Liverpool’s 3-1 win.
“His legacy at Liverpool will forever be etched in history,” the club said. “He was considered a hero wherever he went.”
After returning to England from Germany, Keegan joined Southampton, where he finished top scorer in the First Division with 30 goals in the 1981–82 season before moving to Newcastle United, the club he supported through his father.
His tireless work rate and infectious personality quickly made him a fan favorite at St James’ Park before he retired in 1984. He briefly returned to action the following year for two away appearances at Australian side Blacktown.
On the international stage, Keegan scored 21 goals in 63 appearances for England. He captained the national team at Euro 1980 and represented his country at the 1982 FIFA World Cup, his only appearance at football’s biggest tournament after England failed to qualify for the 1974 and 1978 editions.
Keegan later enjoyed a memorable managerial career that spanned from 1992 to 2008. His greatest achievement on the touchline came at Newcastle, where he guided the club from the second division to the brink of the Premier League title in the 1995-96 season.
That campaign became famous for attacking Newcastle football, earning them the nickname “The Entertainers”, and Keegan’s emotional televised outburst aimed at
Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson.
“You can tell him now, we’re still fighting for this title. And he’s got to go to Middlesbrough and get something. And I’ll tell you… honestly… I love it when we beat them, love it,” said Keegan.
Despite leading the table by 12 points in February, Newcastle ultimately finished four points behind Ferguson’s Manchester United.
Keegan also managed Fulham, England and Manchester City. His spell as England manager lasted from 1999 to 2000 and ended after a 1-0 defeat to Germany in a World Cup qualifier at the old Wembley Stadium. He informed Football Association officials of his resignation during an emotional conversation inside a toilet cubicle.
He returned for a second spell at Newcastle in 2008 but resigned after nine months following a breakdown in his relationship with club owner Mike Ashley. He never returned to management, instead remaining involved in football through television punditry.
Keegan left a lasting legacy as one of England’s greatest players, a pioneering Ballon d’Or winner, an unforgettable manager and one of the game’s most charismatic personalities.
