Rising star
Charlton helped United win the league title in 1957, but was still fighting to become one of the first-choice players in the Reds’ thrilling, talent-crammed attack. But he was still young and knew his time would come. In February 1958, he scored another two goals as United drew with Red Star Belgrade, in then Yugoslavia (now Serbia), to claim a place in the semi-finals of the European Cup (now the Champions League).
During United’s return home, the team’s plane crashed in Munich, killing 23 people, including eight of Charlton’s team-mates. Bobby survived with minor injuries, but his life would never be the same again. His best friends were gone. He found it hard to talk about them and put his energy into football and ensuring United would win again. He played a month after the crash and, incredibly, helped United – with only half a squad – reach the FA Cup final. They lost to Bolton Wanderers at Wembley, but Bobby, still only 20 years old, was now at the centre of the United rebuild and rise to greatness which inspired the world.
World at his feet
Over the next decade, Charlton became one of the best players in the world and was joined at Old Trafford by the fantastic striker Denis Law and the clever winger George Best in the team. Together, the ‘United Trinity’ won everything, as a team and individually. There is a statue of them outside Old Trafford. All three won the Ballon d’Or, Charlton doing so in 1966. Having won the FA Cup with Law in 1963 – thanks to a 3-1 victory over Leicester City – he was then a league title-winner again in 1965 (by this time with Law and Best). In 1966, the Reds fell short in their quest for the European Cup, losing to Partizan Belgrade at the semi-final stage.
For Charlton, though, there was to be a happy ending to the season as he played a key role in helping England to win the World Cup. He was named in the Team of the Tournament and then voted the best player on the planet by winning the Ballon d’Or. The following season, he won a third league title (1966/67) and then, finally, the European Cup in May 1968. It was the ultimate tribute to his friends who died in the Munich Air Disaster 10 years earlier, and fitting that he should be captain on the night, scored twice and was the man to lift the big-handled trophy.
When Charlton left five years later, he was seen as United’s greatest-ever player. He returned to Old Trafford to become a director in 1984 and served in that role until his death in 2023. He could often be found in the dressing room after matches, encouraging the new generation of players, and was loved by everyone at United – a club that he loved with all his heart.
