Austrian football is in mourning. Alexander Manninger, one of its representatives, died this Thursday at the age of 48, after a road accident. His car was allegedly hit by a train north of Salzburg, not far from the German border, Austrian media report. No other victims would be counted.
Manninger was the first (and only) Austrian player to wear Arsenal’s colors in the Premier League. He joined the Premier League in 1997, aged just 19, to act as understudy for legend David Seaman. He played with players like Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira, Nicolas Anelka. During this first season, he managed to win the Premier League-FA Cup-Charity Shield treble with the Gunners.
“An exceptional ambassador for Austrian football”
After his time across the Channel, Alexander Manninger played mainly in Italy (Fiorentina, Siena, Juventus), with stints in Spain, Germany and Austria, at home at Red Bull Salzburg. The goalkeeper had played 33 matches with the Austrian selection.
“Alexander Manninger was an exceptional ambassador for Austrian football, on and off the field,” said Peter Schöttel, sports director of the Austrian Football Association, quoted by Sky Sports. His international career was a benchmark and inspired many young goalkeepers. »
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