Sir Bobby Charlton is honoured ahead of England’s game with Malta as Wembley pays emotional tribute to the legendary footballer and 1966 World Cup winner
Wembley paid an emotional tribute to the late Sir Bobby Charlton on Friday evening ahead of England’s Euro 2024 qualifying match with Malta.
Sir Bobby – widely regarded as one of the game’s greatest ever players – died last month at the age of 86 after a battle with dementia.
The gifted footballer was born in Ashington, Northumberland, on October 11, 1937 and played an integral role in England’s 1966 World Cup glory.
He played 758 games for Man United, also earned 106 caps for his beloved country and has a stand named after him at Old Trafford.
And ahead of kick-off in London, Wembley honored Sir Bobby with the matchday programme, which proudly displayed his face on the front, while the corner flags were also black in tribute to the great Three Lions.
Wembley paid an emotional tribute to Sir Bobby Charlton ahead of England’s match against Malta
Before kick-off there was an emotional applause for one of England’s greatest players
During the applause, a moving Sir Bobby tifo was held aloft by supporters in the stadium
Sir Bobby’s name was proudly displayed on the screen as Wembley entered darkness
Sir Geoff Hurst (right) – the last living member of the 1966 World Cup-winning team – laid Sir Bobby’s England shirt on the pitch and FA chairman Debbie Hewitt (left) laid a wreath
His face was on the front cover of the match program ahead of Friday night’s match
A 90-second video was then played to the Wembley crowd before the players emerged from the tunnel, which was a moving tribute to Sir Bobby.
It showed some of his highlights from his England career, along with his meeting and conversation with Gareth Southgate at St George’s Park in recent years.
There was then a minute’s applause in the dark, with a tifo of Sir Bobby held up in the stands in a moving tribute, as supporters cheered and clapped throughout the stadium.
Sir Geoff Hurst – the last living member of the 1966 World Cup final victory – then laid Sir Bobby’s England shirt on the pitch next to FA chairman Debbie Hewitt, who laid a wreath.
The applause continued as Sir Bobby’s name was proudly displayed on the screen before the match started.
Sir Bobby scored 49 times for his country in 106 games and was England’s record goalscorer until he was surpassed by Wayne Rooney in September 2015.
However, he remains third on the all-time list, with no current player even within twenty goals of his astonishing record.
The tribute comes after Sir Bobby’s funeral on Monday, which was attended by a long guest list of United legends.
The corner flags were also black, which was chosen by the FA as a tribute to Sir Bobby
Sir Bobby (left) has scored 49 goals and 106 caps for his country and is England’s third highest scorer
Sir Bobby (right) also played a crucial role in England’s 1966 World Cup-winning team
Thousands of supporters also flocked to Old Trafford – where Sir Bobby is immortalized in a statute – to pay their respects to United’s greatest ever player.
The club paid their own emotional tribute ahead of last month’s Champions League match against FC Copenhagen with a special pre-match tribute, which ended with a minute’s silence.
For example, Erik ten Hag walked out of the tunnel behind a bagpiper before laying a wreath on the field.
He was joined on either side by Alex Stepney, a teammate of Sir Bobby, and youth team captain Dan Gore.
A wreath was also placed on Sir Bobby’s chair in the Director’s Box as he was commemorated on the front cover of the match day programme.
Players and staff from both sides similarly wore black armbands in memory of the United legend, while Copenhagen supporters could be heard chanting ‘One Bobby Charlton’ before kick-off, while also unfurling a banner reading: ‘Rest in peace, Sir Bobby Charlton .’
During United’s Premier League match against Man City at Old Trafford a few days later, United again celebrated Sir Bobby’s life with a minute’s applause and displays of fan remembrance with flags and surfer banners in the stadium.
Meanwhile, United manager Ten Hag and his squad also wrote personal messages in memory of Charlton following his death at their Carrington training ground, which were added to a book of condolence opened at Old Trafford.
More than a thousand fans signed the book within a day of his death being announced, as supporters flocked to Old Trafford to pay their respects.
United paid tribute to their greatest ever player during matches against Copenhagen and Man City
Thousands of fans gathered at Old Trafford to pay one last tribute after his funeral on Monday
Many United legends such as Bryan Robson (left) and Paul Scholes (right) attended the funeral
Ahead of the aforementioned match against Copenhagen, Ten Hag had paid tribute to Sir Bobby and said United would look to the club’s holy trinity of George Best and Denis Law for inspiration.
“He (Sir Bobby) is in front of Old Trafford with Denis Law and George Best,” said Ten Hag.
‘He is always with us. They are always a huge inspiration for us, every day and every game.”
‘Bobby was a legend, a giant, not only for Manchester United but also for football. So his legacy, the high standards, we have to live every day. What he meant to Manchester United and the standards he set have been highlighted in recent days.”