Robbie Keane pays tribute to ‘loveable person’ Liam Payne

The Republic of Ireland and Liverpool legend said he is 'so sad' to hear of the former One Direction star's passing.

Keane and Payne played football together at Soccer Aid in 2022, when Liam captained the England side and Robbie was a member of the Rest of the World team.

The 31-year-old was found dead at a hotel in Buenos Aires on Wednesday night, with emergency services stating he fell from a third-floor balcony at the hotel.

Since then, tributes have poured in from friends and fans across the world.

Payne had been in Argentina for the concert of his former One Direction bandmate Niall Horan, according to reports.

Just days ago, he had shared a video on social media of him and his girlfriend enjoying the gig. Along with the clip, Payne also shared a snap of him and the Irish singer, with the caption “reunited”.

In a post on Instagram, Horan's fellow countryman Keane wrote: "So sad to hear this terrible news. Liam was such a loveable person when I spent time with him @SoccerAid and with close friends in Dubai. My thoughts are with his family at this sad time. RIP Liam."

Yesterday, One Direction shared a message on Instagram about the death of their former bandmate.

The message reads: “We’re completely devastated by the news of Liam’s passing. In time, and when everyone is able to, there will be more to say. But for now, we will take some time to grieve and process the loss of our brother, who we loved deeply.

“The memories we shared with him will be treasured forever. For now, our thoughts are with his family, his friends, and the fans who loved him alongside us. We will miss him terribly.”

The post concluded: “We love you Liam.”

Earlier this morning, Niall Horan paid tribute to his 'amazing friend'.

“I’m absolutely devastated about the passing of my amazing friend, Liam,” he wrote. “It just doesn’t feel real.

“Liam had an energy for life and a passion for work that was infectious. He was the brightest in every room and made everyone feel happy and secure.”

He continued: “All the laughs we had over the years, sometimes about the simplest of things, keep coming to mind through the sadness. We got to live our wildest dreams together and I will cherish every moment we had forever.

“The bond and friendship we had doesn’t happen often in a lifetime.”