April 16 (Reuters) - Former Austria goalkeeper Alex Manninger, who played for Arsenal and a string of Italian clubs, died on Thursday at the age of 48 after the car he was driving was hit by a train at a crossing near Salzburg.
The Austrian Football Association (OEFB) and clubs associated with the player, who retired as a professional in 2017, mourned his passing.
Manninger made 33 appearances for Austria and played for Arsenal, mainly as a reserve, between 1997 and 2001 with the club winning the league title and FA Cup in the 1997-98 season. He ended his career at Liverpool in 2017.
In Italy the Austrian played for Fiorentina, Torino, Bologna, Siena, Udinese and Juventus.
"Alexander Manninger was an outstanding ambassador of Austrian football on and off the pitch," said OEFB Sporting Director Peter Schoettel in a statement.
"With his international career, he has set standards and inspired and shaped many young goalkeepers. His professionalism, his calmness and his reliability made him an important part of his teams and also of the national team."
Salzburg police said in a statement that the accident happened at around 8.20 am local time. First responders freed the driver from the vehicle but resuscitation was unsuccessful.
"According to initial investigations, the car was hit by a railcar of the Salzburger Lokalbahn while crossing the railway crossing and dragged along. The driver was alone in the vehicle. The train driver was uninjured," the police said.
Fiorentina said they will observe a minute's silence and wear black armbands for Thursday's home Conference League game with Crystal Palace, while league leaders Arsenal conveyed their shock on social media.
Other clubs, including Liverpool, issued statements of condolences.
"Today is a very sad day. We have lost not only a great athlete, but a man of rare values: humility, dedication, and an exceptional sense of professionalism," said Juventus.
"Alex Manninger will be remembered for the example he set, on and off the pitch."
(Reporting by Alan Baldwin in London, editing by Ken Ferris and Christian Radnedge)
