Legendary Manchester United player Bobby Charlton — who led England to its only World Cup title in 1966 — has died at the age of 86, the club announced Saturday.
"Manchester United is in mourning following the passing of Sir Bobby Charlton, one of the greatest and most beloved players in the history of our club," the Premier League team said in a statement.
No cause of death was revealed. After Charlton's death, Geoff Hurst is now the only living member of the World Cup winning 1966 England team.
In 1958, Charlton survived the Munich air disaster, when a British European Airways plane carrying the Manchester United team crashed on its third attempt at takeoff, killing eight of Charlton's teammates.
Defender Harry Maguire said hearing about Charlton's death had dampened the mood during the team's game preparations.
"Sir Bobby Charlton came into the dressing-room a lot and he lit the place up. He is an absolute legend of the club," the England international said. "We are delighted to win the game but this is more than football and our thoughts are with his family.
"He'd always come in if we won or lost but his presence was really felt in the dressing-room. We will miss him, the world will miss him."
Charlton is considered as one of England’s greatest players and as one of the finest of his era, alongside Pelé, Eusébio, Bobby Moore, Garrincha and Franz Beckenbauer. He won the Ballon d’Or in 1966 because of his excellence at that year’s World Cup.
Manchester United’s statement continued: “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.”
After his retirement, Charlton served as Manchester United’s director for 39 years.
Charlton’s older brother, Jack, who had played alongside him in England’s World Cup-winning side, died in 2020.
Charlton was rarely seen in public in the final years of his life after being diagnosed with dementia. He was never forgotten, though.
“This man, from day one, was everything I wanted to be,” United striker Marcus Rashford wrote of Charlton after hearing about the diagnosis. “Kind, professional, caring, talented.”
Another former United player, Phil Neville, said Charlton deserved to stand alongside the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi as a soccer great, because of what he achieved and the way he did it.
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