Kevin Keegan's cancer is a reminder of why we should celebrate the greats of yesteryear

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Kevin Keegan’s cancer diagnosis has prompted a heartfelt reflection on the importance of celebrating football’s greats while they are still here to appreciate it. The article uses Keegan’s situation as a powerful reminder that even the most iconic sporting figures are vulnerable, and that illness can suddenly reframe how a career and a life are viewed.

Keegan is portrayed as one of the defining figures of English football in the 1970s, 80s and 90s – a player of charisma and courage who became a superstar at Liverpool, a double Ballon d’Or winner in Germany, and later the emotional heartbeat of Newcastle United’s renaissance. His attacking philosophy and exuberant personality helped turn Newcastle into one of the most entertaining sides the Premier League has seen, embodying a joyous, front-foot style that earned him the nickname “King Kev”.

The piece argues that modern football’s obsession with the present – from endless debate shows to social media hot takes – often leads to a neglect of yesterday’s heroes. Keegan represents a generation that built the foundations of today’s game but does not always receive the sustained appreciation given to current stars. His illness, the writer suggests, should jolt supporters, pundits and clubs into giving due recognition to those whose influence was enormous but now sits slightly in the game’s shadows.

Rather than waiting for obituaries and tributes after someone has gone, the article urges that figures like Keegan be celebrated now: for the way they played, the risks they took, the emotions they stirred and the dreams they created. Keegan’s diagnosis becomes a broader call to remember, honour and cherish the greats of yesteryear while they are still able to feel the warmth of that gratitude.