LONDON: England World Cup winner and Manchester United great Bobby Charlton, described by the club as a “giant of the game”, has died at the age of 86, it was announced on Saturday.
Charlton was a key member of England’s victorious 1966 World Cup team and also enjoyed great success at club level with United, who became the first English club to win the European Cup in 1968, a decade after members of the team were killed in an air crash in Munich.
“It is with great sadness that we share the news that Sir Bobby passed peacefully in the early hours of Saturday morning. He was surrounded by his family,” said a statement on behalf of the Charlton family.
“His family would like to pass on their thanks to everyone who has contributed to his care and for the many people who have loved and supported him.”
In 2020, it was announced Charlton had been diagnosed with dementia and as the disease took hold he stopped attending matches at Old Trafford.
United posted a picture of Charlton on X, formerly known as Twitter, with the caption: “Words will never be enough.”
