Bobby Charlton, the Manchester United and England soccer great, dies at 86

Bobby Charlton, English soccer icon & 1966 World Cup winner, died at 86. He was a gifted midfielder, never sent off in 758 appearances for United & 106 for England. He survived the 1958 Munich crash & won 3 English league titles & 1 FA Cup. He was admired for his sportsmanship & integrity.

Bobby Charlton, an English soccer icon who survived a plane crash that decimated a Manchester United team destined for greatness to become the heartbeat of his country's 1966 World Cup-winning team, has died. He was 86.

A statement from Charlton's family, released by United, said he died Saturday surrounded by his family.

An extravagantly gifted midfielder with a ferocious shot, Charlton was the leading scorer for both United (249 goals) and England (49 goals) for more than 40 years until being overtaken by Wayne Rooney.

“Sir Bobby was a hero to millions, not just in Manchester, or the United Kingdom, but wherever football is played around the world,” United said.

“He was admired as much for his sportsmanship and integrity as he was for his outstanding qualities as a footballer; Sir Bobby will always be remembered as a giant of the game.”

Alex Ferguson, who managed United from 1986-2013, said before Charlton's death that he “is the greatest Manchester United player of all time — and that’s saying something.”

“Bobby Charlton is absolutely without peer in the history of the English game,” Ferguson said.