A heartbroken Christian Ziege has revealed his wife has died aged 52.

Pia, 52, died on Monday (November 4) after a long battle with illness. And former former Liverpool and Germany star Ziege shared the tragic news on social media on Friday morning, posting: “And there are always traces of your life, thoughts, pictures, moments.

“They will remind us of you, make us happy and sad and never let us forget you. Our world has stood still since November 4th. After a long and serious illness, Pia has closed her eyes forever.

“We would like to thank everyone who has walked this long and difficult path with us, as well as for the great sympathy and compassion. Pia, you will live on forever in our hearts.”

The ex-Middlesbrough and Tottenham defender shared two children, Alessandro and Maria, with Pia and they had been married since 1997. Pia also had another daughter, Katharina, from a previous marriage.

Ziege started his career in 1990 with Bayern Munich – he would go on to turnout for the likes AC Milan, Middlesbrough, Liverpool, Tottenham and Borussia Monchengladbach before retiring from professional football in 2005.

The German would spend just one season on Merseyside, but in that time he would win the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup. He would also find the net twice – once against Leeds in the Premiership and once against Stoke in the League Cup.

Despite being part of the Reds’ treble winning campaign, a combination of knee injuries and the improving form of Jamie Carragher meant that he was sold Tottenham the following summer.

He finished League Cup runner-up with Tottenham in the 2001/02 season. Ziege would retire in 2005, before embarking on a managerial career.