England’s 1966 world cup great and Manchester United club legend Bobby Charlton has been diagnosed with dementia. This following the news of Charlton’s teammate Nobby Stiles’ death.
Sir Bobby aged 83 won multiple league titles, an FA Cup and a European cup during his 17 years at Manchester United and is one of the club’s all-time greats.
Sir Bobby scored 249 goals in 758 games for Manchester United and became one of the clubs greatest ever.
As a player Sir Bobby held the record of England’s top goal scorer until Wayne Rooney, another Manchester United great, surpassed him in 2015.
From surviving the Munich air disaster Sir Bobby picked up the Ballon d’Or and helped United to a European Cup.
With Sir Bobby cementing himself in the history of Manchester United, as one of the greats, United renamed Old Trafford’s South Stand in honour of him.
Manchester United’s, Marcus Rashford, took to Instagram to wish Sir Bobby and his family all his best wishes. “Sir Bobby, you are my hero and I am devastated that you are having to go through this.
I filmed alongside this man as a child and was in awe. I still am when I see you. This man, from day one, was everything I wanted to be. Kind, professional, caring, talented”
Dementia the disease destroying football’s greats.
Sir Bobby Charlton is now the fifth member of England’s World Cup-winning side to be diagnosed with the disease.
There is now a correlation occurring with the diagnosis of dementia to ex-professional footballers. Jack Charlton, Nobby Stiles, Martin Peters and Ray Wilson all had dementia. Is this a coincidence?
Experts at Glasgow University have been investigating the relationship of brain injuries and heading the ball in football.
This investigation started after claims that ex-professional Jeff Astle, aged 59, died due to repetitive head trauma.
The Study compared deaths of ex-professionals to deaths of the regular individual that were born between 1900 and 1976.
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