A life haunted by the Munich disaster.

On the morning of October 21st, UK time, Manchester United fans received shocking news as Sir Bobby Charlton passed away. After three years battling dementia, he passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.

The icon of Old Trafford and England has passed away, but his contributions and legacy will live on in the hearts of football fans in the United Kingdom.

The anguish of witnessing teammates die in the Munich disaster.

" Why me? Why did I survive? " Sir Bobby Charlton wrote in his autobiography. These were the agonizing, internal struggles Bobby Charlton faced as he escaped the Munich disaster.

Bobby Charlton was in hospital after a plane crash in Munich in 1958.

The horrific afternoon of February 6, 1958, saw seven Manchester United players die instantly, followed by an eighth, Duncan Edwards, who later died in the hospital.

That year, Bobby Charlton was only 20 years old. He was surrounded by young, talented teammates who were affectionately known as "Busby's Boys."

Legendary manager Matt Busby built a generation of outstanding young players using his own methods and a long-term plan to revive Manchester United. This generation of players began to reap success with two consecutive English league titles in 1956 and 1957.

They represented England in the 1958 European Cup. After defeating Red Star Belgrade in the quarter-finals, they were involved in an accident on their way back to England.

" I was playing for a team where the whole world was at their feet. Suddenly you come back and the club is struggling to survive. It was a painful time for Man Utd ," Bobby Charlton shared in 2008.

Following the Munich disaster, Man Utd lost in the German Cup final, won only one of their remaining 14 league matches, and were eliminated by AC Milan in the Champions League semi-finals. The team had to rely on young players and loaned players to maintain a sufficient squad.

Bobby Charlton was discharged from the hospital after a week. However, it took him almost a month to recover from the shock and return to competition. From that point on, Bobby Charlton became a different person.

" He stopped smiling ," Jack, Bobby's older brother, shared.

Dailymail journalist Oliver Holt commented: " That's probably why he's so humble and doesn't let himself get carried away by success. His demeanor is as if he's hiding his joy, because that wouldn't be right with the dead. He carries their memories with him when he plays football. Bobby dedicates his victory to his former teammates, something they should have shared together ."

In 2017, on his 80th birthday, Bobby Charlton confided that he was still haunted and tormented by the tragedy of the past.

" That image still comes to mind every day. Sometimes I regret and feel terribly sad that I survived. You see, for a short time, football, life, seemed to lose its meaning. I'm so lucky to be in the right place ," Bobby Charlton expressed.

The legendary trio

Upon his return, Bobby Charlton became the driving force of Man Utd. He led the midfield with his tireless movement. In addition, his strengths included keen vision and powerful long-range shots with both feet, which became his trademark.

The United Trinity statue of Dennis Law, Bobby Charlton, and George Best stands outside Old Trafford stadium.

However, to further capitalize on Bobby Charlton's passing ability, Man Utd brought in Dennis Law and George Best. They formed the legendary trio of Old Trafford. The United Trinity statue outside the stadium today honors these three former stars.

During the period when the trio played together, United amassed a string of titles. They won the league title in 1964/1965 and 1965/1967; the FA Cup in 1962/1963; and the European Cup in 1967/1968. Dennis Law, Bobby Charlton, and George Best successively won the Ballon d'Or in 1964, 1966, and 1968.

Bobby Charlton won the Ballon d'Or in 1966 for helping England win their first and only World Cup title to date. The 1968 European Cup victory marked 10 years since the Munich disaster.

Those two titles were the result of Bobby Charlton's tireless efforts. At the celebration party for winning the European Cup, Bobby Charlton was unable to attend. His wife, Norma, said that he was so exhausted he couldn't even get out of his hotel bed.

" He really misses the boys who couldn't be here tonight ," Norma shared.

Van Hai

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