English football, Manchester United in particular, lost one of its big names this Saturday. Bobby Charlton has passed away.
England have only won one major title. And all the players from the Three Lions selection that won the 1966 World Cup, against Germany (4-2, ap), will remain forever in the history books. Bobby Charlton, whose death we learned on Saturday at the age of 86, was one of its strongest symbols.
Attacking midfielder (106 caps – 49 goals), he won the Ballon d’Or the year of the world title, two years before winning the 1968 European Champion Clubs’ Cup, today the Champions League, with a certain George Best as attacker.
Sir Bobby Charlton CBE, 1937-2023.
Words will never be enough.
— Manchester United (@ManUtd) October 21, 2023
The legend of “Sir” Bobby Charlton was also built 10 years earlier in the drama of the Busby Babes. On February 6, 1958, the plane crash of the Red Devils and coach Matt Busby caused the death of 23 people, including eight players and three staff members. Bobby Charlton, 20 years old at the time, was one of the lucky survivors.
After two decades at Manchester United (1956-1973), the native of Ashington will experience a few clubs and hang up his career in 1979, at Blacktown City.
