November 14 – Former England World Cup winner Sir Bobby Charlton was remembered both as one of English football’s finest players and a “humble” and “fantastic” man as thousands of fans and a string of dignitaries bid him a final farewell on Monday.
Prince William, in his role as president of the English Football Association, and former United manager Sir Alex Ferguson headed the list of those who attended the funeral of the United and England legend.
Charlton, widely regarded as the greatest English player in history, died last month at the age of 86 after a fall.
Around 1,000 guests, including former teammates and leading sporting figures, attended the funeral while fans paid their respects outside United’s Old Trafford stadium and Manchester cathedral.
Crowds clapped warmly and held banners as the funeral cortege drove past Old Trafford ground on its way to a private funeral service at the cathedral to celebrate Charlton’s life.
Charlton survived the 1958 Munich air disaster that decimated an entire team that seemed destined for greatness. He then went on to help his country win the 1966 World Cup and lifted the European Cup with United two years later.
Former United chief executive David Gill gave a eulogy during the service, describing Charlton as a “legend, an icon and a very dear and loyal, much-loved colleague and friend”.
“Football is a tribal sport but Bobby was universally admired,” he said.
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