- The funeral of United and England great Charlton will take place on Monday
- Football stars past and present attend a memorial service
- Most of the club’s current playing staff did not attend the funeral
Former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire was one of only four current players to attend Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral on Monday.
Around 1,000 mourners, including some of British football’s biggest names, arrived at Manchester Cathedral to honor the 86-year-old World Cup winner and 1966 club hero.
Old Trafford legend Sir Alex Fergusson led the Red Devils contingent and was joined by England boss Gareth Southgate and a host of others including Maguire, Luke Shaw, Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton.
However, there were many players within the United first-team squad who were absent, some after leaving on international duty with their national team and others for unknown reasons.
The likes of Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, Victor Lindelof, Diogo Dalot, Sofyan Amrabat, Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford all received call-ups from their respective international squads ahead of the matches at the end of this week.
Former Man United captain Harry Maguire was one of four players to attend the funeral
Jonny Evans returned to United this summer after leaving in 2015 after nine years at Old Trafford
Ferguson was pictured next to David Gill arriving at the memorial service in Manchester
However, Maguire was present despite his inclusion in Southgate’s squad for matches against Malta and North Macedonia.
It means that Antony, Anthony Martial, Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund, Christian Eriksen, Mason Mount, Tyrell Malacia, Sergio Reguilon, Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, who are not involved in the upcoming international break, were not present on Monday. afternoon.
United’s current crop was also without their manager Erik ten Hag, who was unable to attend due to an ‘unbreakable and long-term personal involvement in the Netherlands’.
He was criticized by former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys, who called his absence a shame.
“I don’t care what Ten Hag claims that it was ‘an unbreakable bond’ in the Netherlands,” he says wrote on X, formerly Twitter. ‘There’s no way he missed Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral. It is a shame. There would be no Utd without people like Sir Bob. REST IN PEACE. And thank you for what you have given us all.”
Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral procession will pass Old Trafford before heading to Manchester Cathedral for a memorial service.
A United representative invited fans and members of the public to ‘pay their respects along the route’ ahead of the service, which started at 2pm.
The service in the cathedral was led by Canon Nigel Ashworth and included eulogies from family members and the club.
Football fans around the world were devastated to hear that Charlton, who battled dementia in his later years, died after an accidental fall at a care home in Knutsford, Cheshire.
Dozens of people queued to pay their respects as Sir Bobby’s hearse passed Old Trafford today
The funeral procession passed the large Charlton banner hanging outside Old Trafford
His family released the following statement at the time: ‘It is with great sadness that we share the news that Sir Bobby passed away peacefully in the early hours of Saturday morning. He was surrounded by his family.
‘His family would like to thank everyone who contributed to his care and to the many people who loved and supported him. We ask that the family’s privacy be respected at this time.”
Manchester United said ‘words will never be enough’ as they mourn ‘one of the greatest and most loved players in the history of our club’, while England described Charlton, who previously held the record as all-time top scorer for England. and United, as a ‘true legend of our game’.
Sir Bobby had withdrawn from public life since he was diagnosed with dementia in November 2020.
