Icon of sport: Sir Bobby Charlton
Sir Bobby Charlton is another icon of sport.
Brief career summary
He played either as a midfielder or a forward. Considered one of the greatest players of all time, he was a member of the England team that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup, the year he also won the Ballon d'Or. He finished second in the Ballon d'Or in 1967 and 1968.
Club Career
Bobby Charlton played almost all of his club football at Manchester United, where he became renowned for his attacking instincts, his passing abilities from midfield and his ferocious long-range shot, as well as his fitness and stamina.
He made his debut for the Manchester United first-team in 1956 and soon gained a regular place in the team, during which time he became a Football League First Division champion in 1957 then survived the Munich air disaster of February 1958 after being rescued by teammate Harry Gregg; Charlton is the last survivor of the crash from the club.
After helping United to win the FA Cup in 1963 and the Football League in 1965 and 1967, he captained the team that won the European Cup in 1968, scoring two goals in the final to help them become the first English club to win the competition.
The video below contains some of the best parts of Sir Bobby Charlton's greatest ever night as a player for Manchester United.
Later career and retirement
Charlton left Manchester United to become manager of Preston North End for the 1973–74 season. He changed to player-manager the following season. He next accepted a post as a director with Wigan Athletic, and then became a member of Manchester United's board of directors in 1984.
International career
He was named in the England squad for four World Cups but he did not play in the first. At the time of his retirement from the England team in 1970 he was the nation's most capped player, having turned out 106 times at the highest level.
Legacy
His legacy at Manchester United is huge. His statue is featured outside Old Trafford alongside fellow 'Holy Trinity' members Denis Law and George Best. In 2016, the club also announced that the South Stand is to become the Sir Bobby Charlton Stand as a mark of respect to one of the club's all-time greats.