Police: Enke's death apparent suicide.

[metsfan]

(CNN) -- The goalkeeper for the German national soccer team was struck by a train Tuesday in what police called an apparent suicide.

Robert Enke, 32, was hit by a train around 6:25 p.m. (12:25 p.m. ET), Hannover police press officer Stefan Wittke said in a statement.

"Preliminary police investigations indicate a suicide," Wittke said.

Police did not elaborate on what evidence they had that pointed to suicide.

Enke played for Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga, Germany's top league. He reached the highest levels of competitive soccer, wearing Germany's national uniform eight times in games against international opponents.

His teammates were stunned by news of his death.

"We are in a state of shock," said team manager Oliver Bierhoff in a statement from the German Football Federation. "It is beyond words."

The German Football Federation, DFB, said Enke always said he wanted to play for the national team at the 2010 World Cup. Soccer commentator and journalist Rafael Honigstein told CNN International that Enke was on course to receive the nod for a spot on the team.

Enke had missed Germany's last four matches because of a bacterial infection, but had recently returned for play time with Hannover 96.

"The leadership of the German national team never had any doubt that he was important for the team both as a goalkeeper and as a human being," the DFB statement said.

Enke is survived by his wife and 8-month-old daughter, who the couple adopted.

The couple's 2-year-old daughter died in 2006 from a heart condition, and Honigstein said the loss of his child took a toll on Enke.

"Well it's been quite well documented that he had a tough time," Honigstein said. "People knew it was a terrible, terrible tragedy for him."

 

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SPORT/football/11/10/football.germany.robert.enke/index.html

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:eek::confused::cry::tdown:

 

Very, very sad. Germany invests a LOT in rail transportation, rail safety, and is the source of our ALP-46, and soon ALP-46a locomotives, and to have their national hero killed by a train is a very hard slap in the face for them.

 

- A

[EE Broadway Local]

Sorry to read this, Metsfan.

[kaback9]

As a proud supporter of the German National Football team this is very sad indeed, my thoughts are with Enke's family and with his fellow teammates he will be missed.