Germany shocked by Robert Enke’s suicide

German football fans are in shock and disbelief after the death of the national team's goalkeeper Robert Enke, 32, who committed suicide on Tuesday evening by jumping in front of a train.

Enke, who was Hanover 96's captain and goalkeeper and made eight appearances for Germany, was struck by a regional express train at a railway crossing near Hanover and died at the scene. The train was travelling at a speed of 160km, police said.

Joerg Neblung, Enke's agent and close friend, later confirmed that the player had killed himself. "I can confirm this is a case of suicide. He took his own life just before 6pm. There will be a press conference on Wednesday with more details."

"We are all shocked," said the national team's general manager, Oliver Bierhoff. "We are lost for words." Bierhoff cancelled the team's Wednesday training session while Germany's friendly against Chile on Saturday may also be postponed. Germany's players and staff were informed of Enke's death after training in Bonn.

Enke was tipped to be Germany's main goalkeeper at the World Cup in South Africa next summer, even though he had been forced out of their last three World Cup qualifiers after coming down with a stomach virus. Enke had just returned to action after almost two months out.

Enke leaves behind a wife, Teresa, and an eight-month-old daughter Leila, who the couple adopted in May. The Enkes lost their first child, two-year-old Lara (pictured above with Robert) in 2006 when she died of a rare heart condition.

Theo Zwanziger, president of the Germany football association, Deutscher Fußball-Bun (DFB), described Enke as "a wonderful man, who had to cope with several blows of fate".

Last night football fans gathered outside Hanover 96's Niedersachsen Stadium to lay flowers and light candles in memory of their team captain, who joined the team in 2004. Enke's final appearance of his career was just two days before his death, when Hanover 96 drew 2-2 at home to Hamburg on Sunday. His final international appearance was a 2-0 win over Azerbaijan on August 12.

Many of Germany's top players also paid tribute. Former Germany captain and coach Franz Beckenbauer said on the DFB's official website: "I am infinitely sad. When you receive news like this all other problems pale into insignificance."

Hamburg captain David Jarolim told the Bild newspaper that he was devastated. "I can hardly breathe because I'm so upset. This is a real tragedy, I can hardly believe it. First his little daughter dies and then this." ·