Heartfelt tributes have flooded in from across Europe for goalkeeper Robert Enke, who committed suicide on Tuesday.

The 32-year-old was struck by a regional train travelling between Norddeich and Hanover at a railway crossing in Neustadt am Rubenberge and died at the scene.

He had been battling with depression, it was confirmed today.

Enke, who won eight caps for Germany, was regarded as the leading contender to be their number one at the World Cup in South Africa next summer.

Germany coach Joachim Low told the German Football Association's official website, www.dfb.de: "I am finding it hard to describe my feelings. I am totally shocked, totally empty. All my feelings go out to his wife and his family.

"Robert was not only an excellent player, but also a great person.

"We had wonderful discussions. He could listen and shows unbelievable respect to others.

"For him fairness was always an important part of life. His death is an immense lost. We will miss him, as a first class sportsman and an extraordinary man."

Chancellor Angela Merkel wrote a personal letter of condolence to Enke's widow Teresa, www.dfb.de confirmed.

The goalkeeper started his career at Carl Zeiss Jena and had spells at Borussia Monchengladbach, Benfica, Barcelona, Fenerbahce and Tenerife before joining Hannover in 2004.

Hannover's official website, www.hannover96.de, was dedicated to their former number one.

A statement on an otherwise entirely black home page read: "We are mourning Robert Enke, 24 August 1977-10 November 2009."

Bayern Munich's home page was also black and dedicated to Enke.

Monchengladbach vice-president Rainer Bonhof, Enke's coach at the club in the 1998/99 season, said on www.borussia.de: "This is shocking news, words fail me."

Carl Zeiss Jena spokesman Andreas Trautmann said on www.fc-carlzeiss-jena.de: "The right words don't exist for such a tragedy.

"We are shocked and our thoughts are with Robert's family. They have our heart-felt sympathies."

Nuno Gomes, who was a team-mate of Enke's at Benfica, told Benfica TV: "It is a tremendous loss for the world of football. It is very sad news."

Enke spent three years with the Portuguese side between 1999 and 2002.

Barcelona, for whom he only made one Primera Division appearance, held a minute's silence before last night's 5-0 Copa Del Rey win at home to Cultural Leonesa.

Former Germany captain and coach Franz Beckenbauer said: "I am infinitely sad. When you receive news like this all other problems pale into insignificance."

Hannover president Martin Kind added: "This is an absolute catastrophe, I can't come to terms with it."

Schalke striker Kevin Kuranyi said in the Bild newspaper: "This can and must not be true. Robert was such a great bloke.

"I don't know how I will tell my wife. She is very good friends with Robert's wife. I feel for his family."

Enke leaves behind his wife, Teresa, and an eight-month-old daughter who the couple adopted in May.

The Enkes lost their biological daughter Lara in 2006 when she died of a rare heart condition at the age of two.

Hamburg captain David Jarolim added: "I can hardly breathe because I'm so upset. This is a real tragedy, I can hardly believe it. First his little daughter dies and then this."

"I am stunned. Words fail me," said Chelsea and Germany midfielder Michael Ballack.

"We are shocked about the tragic death of Robert Enke," said German Football League (DFL) president Dr Reinhard Rauball.

"He was an excellent sportsman and a special person. We are thinking of his family at this difficult time and wish them lots of strength to cope with this difficult situation as well as possible."