After the death of English football icon Sir Bobby Charlton, former Manchester United stars paid emotional tribute to the 1966 World Cup winner.
Club representatives and mourning fans laid flowers and wreaths at Old Trafford stadium, where a statue of Charlton stands. The former international, who was under contract with Man United from 1956 to 1973 and played over 600 games for the club, died on Saturday at the age of 86.
“It all started with Sir Bobby,” wrote David Beckham on his Instagram account, posting a childhood photo of himself with Charlton. “I will forever be grateful to the man I was named after, someone I looked up to, who was a hero to many around the world, not just in Manchester and our country.” Beckham’s middle name is Robert because his father was a big Charlton fan. Beckham wrote that he was “a true gentleman, family man and real national hero.”
“When he spoke, people stood still”
Beckham’s former teammate Rio Ferdinand also raved highly about Charlton and published a photo together from a championship celebration. “Sir Bobby. Icon, legend, great… we all throw words like that around, even though many don’t 100 percent deserve it, especially when you compare them to someone of Sir Bobby’s caliber,” the former man wrote -United captain. “When he spoke, you stood still, stopped what you were doing and listened.
Gary Neville described Charlton as “English football’s greatest player and Manchester United’s greatest ambassador”. Neville, who played for Man United from 1992 to 2011, wrote on Instagram that he was very sad to hear the news of Charlton’s death. “He was a champion on and off the pitch and, as Busby Babe, paved the way for everything that happened at United. Rest in peace, Sir Bobby.” Coach Matt Busby’s successful team, whose key players included Bobby Charlton, is known as the “Busby Babes”.
At Man United’s league game at Sheffield United on Saturday evening, there was a minute’s silence before the game, then the whole stadium applauded.
