Former England striker and Toronto FC head coach Paul Mariner has died at the age of 68.

His family made the announcement early Saturday morning, saying he passed away surrounded by his family after a brief battle with brain cancer.

Mariner played eight years internationally with England and was a member of the 1980 European Championship squad as well as the 1982 World Cup team. Professionally, he played with Plymouth Argyle, Arsenal, Ispwich Town, Portsmouth and Australia's Wollongong City.

He was an assistant coach with the New England Revolution for multiple seasons, helping the club reach MLS Cup in three straight years between 2005 and 2007, and succeeded Aron Winter as Toronto FC's head coach in 2012 before being dismissed in early 2013.

"Paul lived a full life and was fortunate enough to represent a group of fantastic football clubs as well as his country, all of which meant the world to him," his family said in a statement. 

"Anyone who knew Paul will attest to his fantastic sense of humour, his passion for life and his work. He will be sorely missed by everyone who was ever around him and by those most close to him."