Sir Bobby Charlton dies: Manchester United legend and England 1966 World Cup hero passes away aged 86
Manchester United and England hero Sir Bobby Charlton has died at at the age of 86.
The Red Devils - with which he was so synonymous - have announced that one of football's most revered and iconic figures has sadly passed away after being diagnosed with dementia in 2020.
Sir Bobby was an icon and held numerous long-standing records for club and country, some of which have only been broken in recent years.
Widely considered as one of the greatest players of all-time, he came from a football family with several of his relatives having been professional footballers. One of those was Newcastle legend Jackie Milburn.
Charlton’s elder brother, Jack, died when he was 85 in July 2021 having also suffered with dementia.
At 15, Sir Bobby was signed by Manchester United and two years later - in October 1956 - made his debut against Charlton Athletic.
Tragedy struck the club in 1958, though, when an aircraft carrying the United football team crashed on its way back from a European Cup tie in Belgrade.
The Munich Air Disaster claimed the lives of 23 people - including eight players and three members of the club's staff.
Two more were so badly injured they never played again, but Sir Bobby escaped the wreckage with minor cuts to his head.
He was still only 20 years old at that time, but became central to the rebuilding process of Manchester United.
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Man United statement in full
Manchester United are in mourning following the passing of Sir Bobby Charlton, one of the greatest and most beloved players in the history of our club.
Sir Bobby was a hero to millions, not just in Manchester, or the United Kingdom, but wherever football is played around the world.
He was admired as much for his sportsmanship and integrity as he was for his outstanding qualities as a footballer; Sir Bobby will always be remembered as a giant of the game.
A graduate of our youth Academy, Sir Bobby played 758 games and scored 249 goals during 17 years as a Manchester United player, winning the European Cup, three league titles and the FA Cup. For England, he won 106 caps and scored 49 goals for England, and won the 1966 World Cup.
Following his retirement, he went on to serve the club with distinction as a director for 39 years. His unparalleled record of achievement, character and service will be forever etched in the history of Manchester United and English football; and his legacy will live on through the life-changing work of the Sir Bobby Charlton Foundation.
The club’s heartfelt sympathies are with his wife Lady Norma, his daughters and grandchildren, and all who loved him.
Charlton went on to become one of the club's greatest ever players, winning three league titles, the FA Cup and much coveted European Cup in 1968 - a decade on from the Munich Air Disaster.
In total, he played 758 games for United and scored 249 goals - records that stood for years before being broken by Ryan Giggs and Wayne Rooney, respectively.
Charlton became a true national icon for his role in helping England win the 1966 World Cup, scoring key goals en route to the final where they beat West Germany.
That same year he was awarded the Ballon d'Or - recognising him as the finest player in Europe.
He racked up 106 caps for England, scoring 49 times - another record Rooney eventually took from him.
The latter periods of his career saw him play, and manage Preston, before he went back to Manchester United.
He was on the board of directors at Old Trafford and was integral to the appointment of Sir Alex Ferguson, who went on to become one of the greatest managers of all-time.
He was diagnosed with dementia in 2020 but continued to be an integral member of the club and valued presence around Old Trafford.