Former Liverpool and Scotland centre-back Alan Hansen is “seriously ill in hospital”, the Anfield club said on Sunday.
The 68-year-old was a key part of the great Reds teams of the 1970s and 1980s, winning eight First Division titles, three European Cups and two FA Cups.
Hansen won promotion to the Scottish Premier Division with Partick Thistle before joining Liverpool in 1977 for the start of a successful 14-year spell.
“The club is currently in contact with Alan’s family to provide our support at this difficult time, and our thoughts, wishes and hopes are with Alan and all of the Hansen family,” Liverpool said.
The Premier League club called their “legendary” former captain a “defender of the utmost elegance”.
Hansen, who also won four League Cups with Liverpool, appeared 26 times for his country and was a member of Scotland’s 1982 World Cup side.
After retiring in 1991, he appeared as a pundit on Match of the Day from 1992 until 2014.
Hansen’s former Match of the Day colleague Gary Lineker wrote on X: “Horrendous news. Thoughts are with Alan, Janet and all the family.”
He earned a reputation as one of the most insightful and influential pundits in the country while working alongside figures such as Des Lynam, Gary Lineker, Mark Lawrenson, Alan Shearer and Sir Trevor Brooking.
Hansen’s most memorable moment on the Premier League highlights programme came in 1995 when he famously responded to a Manchester United defeat at Aston Villa by insisting: “You can’t win anything with kids.”
That team – which included Paul Scholes, Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Nicky Butt and David Beckham – won the FA Cup and Premier League Double that season.
Hansen was also part of BBC Sport’s coverage of major football tournaments. In all he covered 16 FA Cup finals, six World Cups, five European Championships and one Olympics during his spell with the BBC.
