BERLIN, (Reuters) – Germany and Hanover 96  goalkeeper Robert Enke has died after being hit by an express  train in an apparent suicide near Hanover, local police said yesterday.  

“First indications point to suicide,” a media officer for  the Lower Saxony police told Reuters before adding Enke’s body  was found at a train crossing in Neustadt am Ruebenberge near  Hanover. 

“At 1825 (1725GMT) he was run over by a regional express  train running between Hamburg and Bremen,” said police  spokesman Stefan Wittke. “The train was travelling at the speed  of 160-kph.” 

The player’s friend and consultant Joerg Neblung told  reporters: “I can confirm this is a case of suicide. He took  his own life just before six (pm). There will be a press  conference tomorrow with more details.” 
 
Enke, 32, won eight international caps and was in the  running to play at the World Cup in South Africa next year.  
The news left Germans reeling and stunned the national  soccer federation (DFB).
  
“The German team has learned of the death of Robert Enke  with great shock,” said the DFB in a statement. “National team  coach Joachim Loew and manager Oliver Bierhoff said ‘we are all  shocked, we are speechless’.” 
 
Loew informed the squad of Enke’s death in a hotel in Bonn  ahead of their friendly match against Chile on Saturday in  Cologne.  
DFB president Theo Zwanziger said the federation was in  mourning. “Our feelings go out to his wife and family,” he  said. 
Enke, who had spells with clubs in Spain, Turkey and  Portugal before signing for Bundesliga team Hanover in 2004,  experienced a difficult time in recent months as he battled to  secure his place in Germany’s team.