FC Bayern is united in mourning with the footballing world following the passing of Sir Bobby Charlton at the age of 86. The English attacker was a legend of the game and a hero in his homeland as part of the 1966 World Cup-winning team after that unforgettable final against Germany. “England were only able to beat us in 1966 because Bobby Charlton was a little bit better than me,” Franz Beckenbauer once said. It was praise only Der Kaiser could give. Sir Bobby was without doubt one of the best players of his age and is still one of the greatest the world has ever seen.
Franz Beckenbauer and Sir Bobby Charlton at the 1966 World Cup.
Herbert Hainer, FC Bayern president: “On behalf of FC Bayern, I’d like to express our condolences to Sir Bobby Charlton’s relatives and millions of fans. FC Bayern will forever remember this unique footballer and person. Sir Bobby also has a special connection to Munich as one of the survivors from the catastrophic air disaster here 65 years ago. Sir Bobby was a gift for everyone who enjoyed the beauty of football. The footballing world will never forget him.”
As well as the 1966 World Cup, Charlton also won the English First Division title three times and the European Cup in 1968 for Manchester United, where he played from 1954 to 1973. After winning the World Cup, that year he became the second Englishman after Stanley Matthews to be awarded the Ballon d’Or. He was knighted by the late Queen Elizabeth II in 1994. He is survived by his wife Norma, two daughters and several grandchildren.