The international footballer Robert Enke was widely tipped to be the first-choice goalkeeper for Germany in next year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

Although he had spent many years outside his native country, with varying degrees of success, and was for so long the understudy to Jens Lehmann,Germany’s previous first choice, Enke seemed recently to have come into his own at a late age — even for a goalkeeper. He made his international debut at 29, and earned the last of his eight caps only three months ago. Enke was a forceful and effective shot-stopper, and off the field, a much liked and sensitive character.

Robert Enke was born in 1977 in Jena, then in East Germany, and began his career at Jena Pharm, before moving to Carl Zeiss Jena. He moved to West Germany, to Borussia Mönchengladbach in 1996, and three years later to Benfica (where he quickly learnt to speak Portuguese). There followed unrewarding stints with Barcelona, Fenerbahce and Tenerife, before in 2004 he returned to Germany to sign for Hanover 96.

Once back in his homeland Enke enjoyed far greater success and popularity, being voted best goalkeeper in the Bundesliga by his fellow professionals in 2008-09. He made 180 appearances for Hanover 96, his last being in a 2-2 draw against Hamburg on Sunday.

On the strength of his performances he made his debut for the German international side in March 2007 in a 1-0 defeat to Denmark, and his last game was in a 2-0 win away to Azerbaijan this August. He had been in the Germany squad that finished runners-up in the European Championships of 2008, but had missed his country’s last four matches owing to a virus.

Often shaven-headed and stern-looking, Robert Enke had the appearance of the archetypal bossy goalkeeper but he was the very opposite. Far from being overconfident or publicity-seeking, he appeared to lack self-assurance. It was perhaps for that reason that he did not take seriously recent speculation that larger German clubs such as Bayern Munich wanted to seek his services.

Enke was a thoughtful, reserved and softly spoken man, and the German media was prone to round on him on occasions, mistaking his meditative demeanour for just laziness. He was a sensitive person, on and off the field, noted for his interest in animal welfare, and who lent his face to animal rights campaign posters. He was seldom described by friends and fellow professionals without the personal qualification of him being “compassionate”.

The death of his two-year-old daughter, Lara, in September 2006, from a heart defect, affected him profoundly, and he visited her grave every day. He had struggled with the bereavement, and his own subsequent illness, declaring after his return for Hanover 96 on Sunday: “It has been a long time, almost a quarter of the season. However, once I resumed training I felt really well.”

Robert Enke died after being struck by a train at a level crossing in Neustadt am Rübenberge, near Hanover. He is survived by his wife, Teresa, and an adopted daughter. A daughter predeceased him in 2006.

Robert Enke, footballer, was born on August 24, 1977. He died on November 10, 2009, aged 32