Alex Manninger, the former Arsenal goalkeeper who made history as the first Austrian to play in the English Premier League and went on to win titles across Europe, died Thursday morning after a train struck his car at a railroad crossing in northern Austria. He was 48.
According to the Salzburg State Police, officers were dispatched at approximately 8:20 a.m. to a level crossing in Nußdorf am Haunsberg, where a local train had collided with a car. First responders had already pulled the driver—a 48-year-old Salzburg man—from the wreckage and attempted to revive him by the time police arrived. Officers joined in, using a defibrillator, but neither their efforts nor those of emergency medical personnel could save him, police said in a
press release Thursday. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
While Salzburg police did not publicly identify the victim, Austria's national broadcaster ORF reported that Manninger was the man fatally injured in the crossing incident. According to police, the car was struck and dragged by a train operated by the Salzburg Local Railway. The train's operator was unharmed. Authorities temporarily shut down the rail line to conduct an investigation before reopening it later in the day. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Within hours, tributes from across the football world confirmed what many had feared.
"Everyone at Arsenal is shocked and deeply saddened by the tragic passing of former goalkeeper, Alex Manninger," the club said in a
post on X. "All our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this incredibly sad time. Rest in peace, Alex."
FC Red Bull Salzburg, the club where Manninger's professional career had roots, also mourned the loss. "We mourn our former goalkeeper Alexander Manninger, who tragically lost his life in a traffic accident," the club
posted on X. "Our thoughts are with his family and friends. Rest in peace, Alexander."
Born in Salzburg, Manninger began his career at Austria Salzburg before making a leap that would define Austrian football history. In 1997, he joined Arsenal, becoming the first Austrian to play in the Premier League, according to the
Austrian Football Association. The timing could not have been better—he arrived just as the Gunners were entering one of their most celebrated eras under manager Arsène Wenger. Manninger was part of the squad that captured both the Premier League title and the FA Cup in the 1997-98 season, the famed "Double."
He spent five years at Arsenal before departing in 2002, according to the
Premier League, which called him "a Premier League champion with Arsenal in 1997/98." His career then took him to Italy, where he played for clubs including Siena and Juventus, winning the Serie A title with the Turin giants. He later returned to England, signing with Liverpool, where he retired from professional football in 2017.
Internationally, Manninger earned 33 caps for the Austrian national team and was part of the ORF squad for UEFA Euro 2008, held on home soil.
Austrian Football Association sporting director Peter Schöttel said the loss was deeply felt throughout the country's football community.
"Alexander Manninger was an outstanding ambassador for Austrian football both on and off the pitch," Schöttel said in a statement. "With his international career, he set standards and inspired and influenced many young goalkeepers. His professionalism, his calm manner and his reliability made him an important part of his teams and of the national side as well. His achievements deserve the highest recognition and will never be forgotten. In this difficult time, our thoughts are with his family and loved ones."
