Sports
Bobby Charlton, The Manchester United And England Soccer Great, Dies At 86
MANCHESTER, England — Bobby Charlton, an English football legend instrumental in his country’s 1966 World Cup victory, was saved from a plane accident that destroyed a Manchester United squad destined for greatness. Charlton has since passed away. At the time, he was 86.
In a statement from Charlton’s family, United stated that he passed away on Saturday while in the company of his loved ones.
Charlton, an exceptionally talented midfielder with a ferocious strike, surpassed Wayne Rooney as the all-time leading scorer for over four decades for Manchester United (249 goals) and England (49 goals).
United stated, “Not only in Manchester or the United Kingdom, but wherever football is played in the world, Sir Bobby was a hero to millions.”
“In addition to his exceptional football prowess, his sportsmanship and integrity garnered enormous admiration; Sir Bobby will perpetually be commemorated as a footballing titan.”
Before Charlton’s passing, Alex Ferguson, United’s manager from 1986 to 2013, proclaimed him “the greatest Manchester United player of all time,” which is a statement that goes without stating.
“Bobby Charlton is without any comparison in the annals of English football history,” stated Ferguson.
Additionally, Charlton was esteemed for his modesty, self-control, and fair play. He was never dismissed in 758 appearances for United between 1956 and 1973 and 106 internationals for England between 1958 and 1970.
Charlton, along with George Best and Denis Law, was a member of the renowned “Trinity” that guided Manchester United to the 1968 European Cup following their survival of the 1958 Munich accident that claimed the lives of the renowned “Busby Babes” squad. At United, he won three English league championships and one FA Cup.
“He displayed an unprecedented blend of grace, strength, and accuracy for a footballer,” said Bill Foulkes, a former United defender and fellow survivor of the Munich air disaster.
“What ensued was not only greatness but also an additional quality that I can only describe as beauty.”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino regarded Charlton as a “football legend whose influence pervaded generations.” According to Manchester United legend David Beckham, Charlton was “truly a national hero.” Rishi Sunak, the prime minister of Britain, referred to him as “one of the game’s greatest players.”
Before September 2015, when Wayne Rooney scored his 50th goal for the national team, Charlton held the England scoring record. Charlton, who played every minute for England in the 1966 World Cup, scored three of the team’s four goals. In particular, he distinguished himself in the semifinals against Portugal by securing two goals to propel England to its first major final.
The final result was England’s 4-2 victory over West Germany following extra time.
While Ryan Giggs surpassed Charlton’s record for most appearances for United in 2008, his club scoring streak persisted for an additional nine years. Rooney scored his 250th goal for United in 2017, forty-four years after Charlton last donned the renowned red jersey of England’s most successful club.
Following his retirement in 1973, Charlton entered the coaching profession and established a junior program in which Beckham participated.
Charlton reinstated Ferguson as United’s director in 1984, following brief tenures at Preston, Wigan, and Irish club Waterford. In 1986, he convinced the board to appoint Ferguson, who oversaw the club for nearly 27 years and won 38 trophies.
Knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1994, Charlton remains a fixture at Old Trafford, where he is commemorated alongside Best and Law on a statue outside United’s stadium.
Charlton averted the controversies and diversions that harmed Best’s career; his reputation transcended the tribalism of club and international football due to his distinctive style and demeanor.
“In a 2001 magazine interview, I felt he could be a bit aloof,” the late Best stated. “We never engaged in a dispute; rather, we abstained from sharing a pint together.”
Charlton was identified as having been diagnosed with dementia in November 2020. This condition claimed the lives of his sibling Jack (who passed away in 2020 at the age of 85) and another World Cup champion, Nobby Stiles.
Geoff Hurst, who achieved a hat trick in the 1966 final, is the sole surviving member of that England squad due to Charlton’s demise.
“Neither will all of football forget him, nor will we,” Hurst said of Charlton on X, formerly Twitter. “Beyond the realm of sports, he will be sorely missed by the nation as a tremendous colleague and friend.”
Robert Charlton, born in the coal-mining town of Ashington, northeast England, on October 11, 1937, displayed his aptitude at an early age.
“Around the age of five, we realised Bobby was going to be a bit special as a player,” his older brother Jack explained. “Whenever he attempted to kick a tennis ball or football against a wall, the rebound clung to him like a magnet.”
Charlton documented 2007 that his family occasionally subsisted on illicitly procured salmon or rabbit for sustenance, whereas his father, also named Robert, procured and sold coal that had washed up on nearby coastlines to supplement his earnings.
Due to his father’s dedication to his mining colleagues, he could not witness Charlton score both goals in the 1966 World Cup semifinal against Portugal. This was because he wanted to avoid requiring another individual to fill in for him in the mine. Nonetheless, his attendance at the championship match was confirmed when the Charlton brothers hoisted the trophy.
After leaving school at 15, Charlton embarked on his professional debut in Manchester, a distant location, three years later, against Charlton in 1956.
A tragic event occurred in the tightly bound squad of United players, whose bond was established during their arduous training period within two years. While the group was still rejoicing in victory at Red Star Belgrade and securing a spot in the semifinals of the European Cup, their aircraft caught fire during its third attempt to take off in heavy snow following a refueling halt in Germany.
Charlton, remarkably escaping the charred wreckage with only minor head injuries, made his way to assist survivors by sifting through the debris. As soon as Charlton noticed manager Matt Busby sobbing uncontrollably on the smoke-engulfed runway, he raced to assist the mentor who had elevated him to the first team.
However, eight members of the 23-manageable “Busby Babes” team, filled with promising individuals, perished. At 21, Duncan Edwards was regarded as one of the most talented athletes in England.
“At times, the knowledge that I walked away and discovered so much fills me with dreadful ire, regret, melancholy, and guilt,” Charlton wrote in 2007.
Charlton, motivated by an enduring duty to honor the recollections of the Munich victims, resumed competition in less than four weeks and assisted a hastily constructed squad consisting of survivors and substitutes in reaching the FA Cup final of that season.
Busby reconstructed his squad around Charlton, adding the English league championships won in 1957, 1965, and 1967.
Charlton stated, “There was always one great hope: the return to greatness of my beloved club.”
1968 marked the pinnacle of his club tenure, with Manchester United becoming the first English club to win the European Championship. Charlton defeated Benfica 4-1 in extra time, with two goals from the club, including the legendary Eusebio of Portugal.
However, Charlton is best recognized for participating in the World Cup-winning England squad. It continues to be the sole national championship won by England in men’s football.
A dispute arose between Charlton and his brother due to Jack’s public claim that Bobby’s wife caused his estrangement from his mother. Jack, however, presented Bobby with a lifetime achievement trophy at the 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award after the two reconciled.
Bobby Charlton stated, “We have had our public disputes, which demonstrates that discord can sometimes disrupt the force of love and blood in any family, but I never lost the sense of awe and gratitude that we were together in 1966 on such a momentous occasion in the history of our country’s sport.”
In the final years of his existence, Charlton was seldom observed in public due to his dementia diagnosis. However, he was never forgotten.
After receiving the diagnosis, Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford wrote of Charlton, “From day one, he embodied everything I aspired to be.” “Talented, courteous, professional, and caring.”
Phil Neville, an additional former Manchester United player, stated that Charlton deserved to be considered a football great alongside Pele, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi due to his accomplishments and how he accomplished them.
“He is on par with those other athletes,” Neville said on NBC on Saturday.
His wife, Norma, whom he married in 1961, and his two daughters survived him.
SOURCE – (AP)
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics promises to be unlike any other.
In a novelty for the Games, the show will be held on Paris’ famed River Seine rather than in a stadium.
Here is everything you need know about the ceremony…
What to expect from the spectacular opening ceremony.
The eye-catching celebration will take place over a 6km stretch of the Seine. It will start at Austerlitz Bridge and culminate among the gardens, fountains, and palaces in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower at Trocadero.
Almost 100 boats will carry over 10,000 athletes and dignitaries as they cruise past Paris’ prominent monuments such as Notre Dame Cathedral and Pont Neuf.
The boats will transport the parade’s participants as well as the artistic portion of the celebration, which will highlight Paris and France’s history and culture.
The performers’ identities, however, have been kept a mystery.
Thousands of people are still expected to line the river and streets, with millions more watching on television all over the world.
“I’d like to show France in all its diversity,” said Thomas Jolly, the French actor and theatre director appointed as the ceremony’s creative director, a post previously played by Danny Boyle in London 2012.
“Illustrate the richness and plurality shaped by its history, which has been influenced and inspired by the diverse cultures that have passed through it, while itself serving as a source of inspiration.”
The ceremony will also involve the ceremonial opening of the Games, led by French President Emmanuel Macron, as well as the lighting of the Olympic cauldron.
Many of the finer elements have been maintained as a surprise.
What is the date and time of the opening ceremony?
The ceremony will commence at 19:30 local time (18:30 BST) on Friday, July 26.
It is scheduled to take little under four hours, with the last parts taking place as the sun sets over the French city.
Fortunately, the Paris weather forecast for Friday evening is positive.
In what sequence will the nations be introduced?
In accordance with tradition, Greece will be the first nation introduced during the ceremony.
Giannis Antetokounmpo, an NBA star, is one of their flagbearers for the games.
Greece will be followed by the Refugee Olympic Team, with hosts France being the last to be unveiled.
Because of their countries’ involvement in the Ukrainian conflict, Russian and Belarussian athletes participating as individuals will not participate.
How to follow the opening ceremony on BBC.
The opening ceremony will begin live at 17:45 BST on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport website and app.
BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Sounds will provide radio coverage beginning at 19:00 BST.
There will also be live text coverage on the BBC Sport website and app, bringing you all the action from Paris.
Source: BBC
Sports
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
PARIS — Coco Gauff, a tennis player, will join LeBron James as a flag bearer for the United States Olympic team at Friday’s opening ceremony.
Coco, the reigning US Open winner, is ready to make her Olympic debut at the Paris Games, becoming the first tennis player to carry the American flag. Team USA athletes selected her and James.
“I believe the Olympics are the priority. It’s equal to the Grand Slams. I wouldn’t put it above or below because I’d never played before. “This is my first time,” Gauff explained earlier this year. “I always want to do well and get a medal.”
Coco Gauff | AP News Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
Coco and James, the 39-year-old NBA’s all-time top scorer, engage in sports outside the traditional Olympic realm and receive media attention year-round rather than every four years.
Coco, 20, joined the American team for the Tokyo Olympics as a youngster three years ago but had to withdraw because she tested positive for COVID-19 just before flying to Japan.
Coco, who now lives in Florida, has won Grand Slam titles in both singles and doubles. She earned her first major triumph in New York in September, defeating Aryna Sabalenka in the singles final of the U.S. Open, and then won her first Grand Slam doubles title at the French Open in June with Czech Republic’s Katerina Siniakova.
The Paris Olympics will be played on the same clay courts at Roland Garros used for the French Open. The bracket draw will take place on Thursday, and play will begin on Saturday.
Coco is seeded second in singles, matching her current WTA ranking behind Poland’s No. 1 Iga Swiatek, and will be one of the medal favorites.
Coco Gauff | AP news Image
Coco Gauff To Be Female Flag Bearer For US Team At Olympic Opening Ceremony, Joining LeBron James
She and her normal doubles partner, Jessica Pegula, are seeded first in the women’s doubles. Gauff may also compete in mixed doubles; however, those pairs have yet to be determined.
“I’m not putting too much pressure on it, because I want to fully enjoy the experience,” Gauff said of her Olympic debut. “Hopefully I can have the experience multiple times in my lifetime, (but) I’ll treat it as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
SOURCE | AP
When LeBron James was chosen for his first Olympics in 2004, he was unsure what the opening ceremony entailed.
This time, he’ll be a star of the show.
His fellow American Olympians chose James to be the male flagbearer for the United States at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games on Friday night. He is the third basketball player — and the first men’s player — to carry the United States flag at the start of an Olympics, following Dawn Staley in 2004 and Sue Bird in 2021.
“It’s an incredible honor to represent the United States on this global stage, especially in a moment that can bring the whole world together,” James told reporters. “As a kid from Akron, this responsibility means everything to not only me, but to my family, all the kids in my community, my teammates, other Olympians, and so many more people throughout the country with huge dreams. Sports have the capacity to unite us all, and I’m honored to be a part of this historic occasion.”
The 39-year-old James learned of the distinction Monday in London, just hours before the United States men’s team was supposed to play its final pre-Olympics exhibition game against World Cup champion Germany.
“We understand how much of an honor it is to be in that position and I think Bron’s entire career, on and off the court, speaks for itself as him being worthy of that honor,” Curry said on the video announcing his nomination.
“He has represented what it means to be excellent both on and off the court in his commitment to service and to uplifting the community in all ways that he knows how has been a lifelong passion,” Curry pointed out. “And the work speaks for itself.”
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
The female U.S. flagbearer is anticipated to be revealed on Tuesday. In 2020, the International Olympic Committee announced that country delegations would have two flagbearers at the Olympics’ opening ceremony, one male and one female, to encourage gender equality. The United States is set to send around 600 competitors to the Paris Games, with approximately 53% women.
“Being chosen by your teammates to carry the flag is a tremendous honor—and a testament to LeBron’s passion for Team USA and dedication to his sport,” U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland said.
James, a global icon, four-time NBA champion, and the league’s all-time leading scorer about to begin his record-tying 22nd NBA season, is set to compete in the Olympics for the fourth time, having previously won bronze in 2004, gold in Beijing in 2008, and gold again in London in 2012. He participated in the opening ceremony at his previous three Olympics.
This will be an unprecedented Olympic opening ceremony, with thousands of participants sailing along the River Seine at nightfall toward the Eiffel Tower. According to Olympic officials, the route is a 6-kilometer (3.7-mile) one, with some 320,000 spectators expected to watch from the river bank and an estimated 1 billion more watching on televisions around the world.
LeBron James Selected As Team USA Male Flagbearer For Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony
Not all Olympic athletes attend the opening ceremony; many miss it for logistical reasons, such as having to compete the next day. James and the four-time defending gold champion U.S. men shall begin Olympic competition on Sunday, when they face Serbia in Lille, France.
James and the American Olympians will have to wait longer than virtually any other nation for their voyage on the Seine. According to IOC protocol, Greece will lead the march, with NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo serving as one of its two flagbearers. The Refugee Olympic Team and over 200 more national delegations will follow. The United States is slated to be next-to-last in the procession because Los Angeles will host the next Summer Olympics in 2028.
As the host, France will be the last nation to participate in the opening ceremony procession. Its men’s basketball team, which includes reigning NBA rookie of the year Victor Wembanyama, begins Olympic competition on Saturday and is not scheduled to attend the opening ceremony.
SOURCE | AP
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