Keeper Enke suffered from depression says family

By Arno Schuetze

HANOVER, Germany (Reuters) - Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke, who committed suicide by jumping in front of an express train, had long suffered from depression and fears of failure, his wife and his doctor said on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old Enke was hit by a train travelling at 160 kph as it passed through a crossing near Hanover on its route between Hamburg and Bremen on Tuesday.

Enke is survived by his wife Teresa and an adopted eight-month-old daughter.

The German soccer federation (DFB) said Saturday's friendly with Chile had been scrapped because the players were in shock. All the players and coaches are due to attend a memorial service in Hanover in the coming days.

Enke's wife said the couple had tried to overcome years of depression through therapy.

"When he was acutely depressive it was a very difficult time because he lacked motivation and any hope of improvement," she told reporters at a news conference.

Enke, who apologised in a suicide letter for hiding the condition leading up to his death, tried hard to keep his depression secret.

His wife, dressed in black and struggling to hold back tears, said: "It is crazy because now it is coming out anyway. We thought we could do everything and we could do it with love but you can't always do it."