Former England captain David Beckham praised “national hero” Sir Bobby Charlton as tributes poured in following his death.
“A true gentleman, family man and truly a national hero… Today isn’t just a sad day for Manchester United & England it’s a sad day for football and everything that Sir Bobby represented… Our thoughts go out to Lady Norma, their daughters and grandchildren x Rest in Peace Sir Bobby x @manchesterunited @england Today our hearts are heavy.”
“He used to come into the changing room after a match – win, lose or draw. Something when I was a player at the club you maybe would take for granted – this legend would be walking around your changing room saying ‘well done’ or offering his commiserations. Ex-England striker and Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker hailed Charlton’s lasting impact on the sport – saying he had achieved “footballing immortality”.“Deeply saddened to hear that Sir Bobby Charlton has died. A truly wonderful footballer and genuinely lovely man. A World Cup winner, @ManUtd great and, for me, England’s greatest ever player. He may longer be with us but he’ll have footballing immortality. RIP Sir Bobby,” he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.