Former Arsenal goalkeeper Alex Manninger dies in a car crash

Former goalkeeper Alex Manninger, who was part of Arsenal’s 1998 Double-winning squad, has died at the age of 48 following a car accident in Austria.

The news was confirmed on Thursday by his first club, Red Bull Salzburg, with the Austrian Bundesliga side sharing the update in a post on its official X account.

Arsenal double winner Alex Manninger dies at 48

The post said, "We mourn our former goalkeeper Alexander Manninger, who tragically lost his life in a traffic accident. Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in peace, Alexander.”

Police in Salzburg said the crash occurred at around 8:20am local time. Emergency responders managed to extract the driver from the vehicle, but attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

According to initial investigations, the car was hit by a railcar of the Salzburger Lokalbahn. Arsenal paid tribute to Manninger on X, posting: “All our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this incredibly sad time. Rest in peace, Alex.”

Manninger joined Arsenal in June 1997 from Grazer AK in a £500,000 deal, going on to make 64 appearances under Arsène Wenger and winning the Premier League during his five-year stint. However, competition from David Seaman and Richard Wright limited his chances of becoming a regular starter, and he later moved to Espanyol.

Over the course of his career, he also played for clubs including Torino, Bologna, Siena and Juventus in Italy, as well as Augsburg in Germany, and had a brief return to England with Liverpool. He joined Liverpool on a short-term contract in July 2016 but did not make a competitive appearance, marking the final chapter of his playing career.

The Austrian Football Association also mourned his death. Its sporting director, Peter Schöttel, said on the Österreichischer Fussball-Bund website: “Alexander Manninger was an outstanding ambassador of Austrian football on and off the pitch. With his international career, he has set standards and inspired and shaped many young goalkeepers.

“His professionalism, his calmness and his reliability have made him an important part of his teams and also of the national team. His achievements deserve the highest respect and will remain unforgotten. In this difficult time, our thoughts are with his family and loved ones.”

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