Legend Kevin Keegan reveals his illness: "I have a 33% chance of making it"

English soccer legend Kevin Keegan revealed in an interview that he has stage four cancer and little chance of survival. Speaking during an event at the Tyne Theatre and Opera House in Newcastle, the former Liverpool star explained how he found out he had the disease, and the next steps. “I was in a car accident and, as a result, had to undergo surgery. During the operation, they discovered I had cancer,” Keegan explained.

“I contacted a top doctor to fight my disease, a stage 4 cancer. He told me that with this new therapy I had a very high chance of success. I asked him what it was and he said 33 percent…I thought it would be 80-90 percent,” continued the two-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Ex Liverpool and Hamburg, former England captain and former England coach, Keegan is an institution in British soccer. With the Reds he won three Premier Leagues and a Champions Cup in 1977, with Hamburg he won the Bundesliga title and reached another Champions Cup final. With his national team jersey he scored 21 goals in 63 games.

At Keegan’s words, Newcastle, the club for which he was a player in the last years of his career and later a coach, immediately reacted: “Kevin Keegan holds a unique place in the club’s history. His passion, leadership and connection to the club and the city have created some of our most memorable moments. You will always be welcome and we hope to see you again soon.”