Over a spell of nearly 10 years, Keegan made 63 appearances for England, netted 21 goals and wore the captain’s armband on 31 occasions.
His international career took time to gather momentum following his debut in a World Cup qualifier against Wales. It also included a disturbing incident at Belgrade airport in the summer of 1974, when England arrived to face Yugoslavia in a friendly under interim manager Joe Mercer.
Some joking around near the baggage carousel led to Keegan, despite having done nothing wrong, being escorted into a separate room by security staff. One of the squad’s most recognisable players, he was punched and kicked before being released. He later scored a late equaliser as the match finished 2-2.
After being omitted from the starting side for a home match against Wales in 1975, Keegan briefly left the England camp. He returned following discussions with manager Don Revie.
The episode reflected an international career that ultimately fell short of what it might have achieved.
England did not reach either the 1974 or 1978 World Cup. When Keegan led the team at the 1980 European Championship in Italy, they were eliminated during the group phase.
He once again served as captain at the World Cup in Spain two years later. However, a persistent back problem, which led him to leave the team camp for specialist treatment in Germany, kept him sidelined until the final 26 minutes of England’s second-round meeting with Spain.
In an unusual mistake for him, Keegan failed to convert a straightforward header. The scoreless draw resulted in Ron Greenwood’s team being knocked out of the tournament.
Greenwood’s replacement, Bobby Robson, did not select him for the following squad, bringing Keegan’s England career to an end.
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