Kevin Keegan

Kevin Keegan is undoubtedly one of the most talented English players in the history of football. Double Ballon d'Or winner, he will have left his mark on the football of his generation.

805

Games

268

Goals

119

Assists

Trophies

1968/71 Scunthorpe UTD (ENG) 141 games, 22 goals

(England Premier League: 124 games, 18 goals)

(England Cup: 14 games, 3 goals)

(England League Cup: 3 games, 1 goal)

1971/77 Liverpool (ENG) 323 games, 93 goals

(England Premier League: 230 games, 68 goals)

(England Cup: 28 games, 14 goals)

(England League Cup: 23 games, 6 goals)

(Charity Shield: 2 games)

(European Champion Clubs' Cup: 12 games, 4 goals)

(England Cup Winners' Cup: 6 games, 1 goal)

(UEFA Cup: 22 matches, 7 goals)

1977/80 Hamburg SV (GER) 111 matches, 40 goals

(German Championship: 90 matches, 32 goals)

(German Cup: 8 matches, 4 goals)

(European Champion Clubs' Cup: 9 matches, 2 goals)

(UEFA Cup Winners' Cup: 4 matches, 2 goals)

1980/82 Southampton (ENG) 80 matches, 42 goals

(English Premier League: 68 matches, 37 goals)

(English Cup: 5 matches, 2 goals)

(English League Cup: 3 matches, 1 goal)

(UEFA Cup: 4 matches, 2 goals)

1982/84 Newcastle UTD (ENG) 85 matches, 49 goals

(European Championship: England D2: 78 matches, 48 goals)

(FAC: 3 matches)

(English League Cup: 4 matches, 1 goal)

1985 Blacktown City (AUS) 2 matches, 1 goal

(NSL: 2 matches, 1 goal)

With the National Team :

63 caps, 21 goals

(Friendly matches: 36 caps, 8 goals)

(World Cup qualifiers: 11 caps, 5 goals)

(World Cup: 1 cap)

(Euro qualifiers: 12 caps, 8 goals)

(Euro: 3 caps)

1st cap: 15 November 1972 against Wales (1-0)

Last cap: 5 July 1982 against Spain (0-0)

Joseph Kevin Keegan

Born February 14, 1951 in Armthorpe (ENG)

English, Second Striker, Striker, Right-Winger, 1m73

Nickname: "Mighty Mouse"

Kevin Keegan and Liverpool's return to success

Kevin Keegan was born on February 14, 1951 in Armthorpe, England. He made his professional debut in 1968 with Scunthorpe United, in the English 4th division. He attracted the attention of the biggest clubs in the country and it was finally Bill Shankly's Liverpool who managed to sign the player for a pittance.

His Premier League debut was on August 14, 1971 in the legendary Anfield stadium, against Nottingham Forest. For his first match, he scored his first goal after only 12 minutes of play. Alongside John Toshack, he played the role of second striker.

A small striker of 1m73, he wonderfully combines dribbling skills with athletic qualities, including an impressive vertical jump that allows him to score many goals with his head. With Keegan, Liverpool once again becomes the best club in the country without a doubt. They win 3 English championships in 1973, 1976 and 1977 as well as an FA Cup in 1974.

The one who becomes "King Kevin" also wins 2 Europa League in 1973 and 1976, Liverpool is then one of the best clubs in Europe, a status that the club will confirm in 1977, when on May 25, 1977, it wins the Champions League against Borussia Mönchengladbach in the final. During the final, Keegan humiliated dribble after dribble, call after call one of the best defenders in history: Berti Vogts.

Able to play as a second striker, striker, or right winger, Kevin Keegan showed impressive qualities, notably his dribbling and his speed, as well as a great finish in big moments. He had a magical ball control, the ball sticking to his foot.

A surprising transfer

After this Champions League win and his status as one of the best players on the planet, he joined the Hamburg club in Germany. But his first season was catastrophic, the player was snubbed by the management and the team finished in a poor 10th place in the German championship.

At the end of this first season, the player was very close to returning to England, but it was finally Gunter Netzer, the club's new manager, who pushed him to stay in Germany, a choice that would be more than judicious. Having understood the importance of the player, he removed from the club the elements hostile to the player and recruited a player with a profile similar to Toshack, a certain Horst Hrubesch.

The player then adopted the role of game organizer and success returned, he won the Bundesliga in 1979 and reached the final of the Champions League in 1980. With his impressive individual performances, he won the Ballon d'Or twice in 1978 and 1979.

A quick end to a career

While he was once again at the top of world football, he surprised the football world by signing for Southampton, a club in the middle of the English championship. However, his goal was clear, to play in the World Cup with England and win the competition.

In 1974 and 1978, the country had failed to qualify for the competition, and Keegan had therefore not been able to show his talent to the world, something he wanted to erase, yet he injured himself playing golf and missed the first matches of the competition, he would only play a few minutes in the last match against Spain, his last selection with England, his 63rd, he was then 31 years old.

After the competition and this failure, he joined Newcastle United in the English second division, he allowed the club to return to the first division in 1984 while playing alongside Chris Waddle and Paul Gascoigne. He hung up his boots at the end of this season with the feeling of duty accomplished. He was then 33 years old.