Thousands Pay Last Respects To German Keeper Enke

Five days after his suicide shocked Germany and soccer fans across the world, goalkeeper Robert Enke was laid to rest next to his daughter's grave at a cemetery near Hanover.

Reuters reported that tens of thousands of fans joined family, friends and teammates to pay their last respects the Germany goalkeeper on Sunday (Nov 15).

The memorial service for Enke took place in Hannover's Niersachsen Stadion.

Enke took his own life at the age of 32, throwing himself in front of a train on Tuesday after battling depression for years.

Enke played his club football for Hanover 96 and was a key member of the German national team. He had earned eight caps in recent years and was facing the prospect of a successful World Cup in South Africa next summer.

Enke, who had been suffering from depression since 2003, made his breakthrough at Borussia Moenchengladbach and went on to captain Benfica in Portugal before having an unsuccessful spell at Barcelona.

He moved to Fenerbahce in Turkey before a transfer to Tenerife back in Spain helped him rebuild his career. He returned to the Bundesliga with Hanover and finally made his Germany debut in 2007.

He went on to win eight caps and was on his way to establishing himself as the number one German keeper after a decade in the shadows of Oliver Kahn and Jens Lehmann.

> The Sad Death of Robert Enke