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Former British footballer Jack Charlton, known as “Big Jack”, world champion in 1966 and Bobby’s older brother, died on Friday at the age of 85, his former club Leeds United announced.
World champion in 1966, English champion in 1969, Cup winner in 1972 … England mourns, Saturday July 11, the death of one of its most talented footballers, Jack Charlton, who died in age 85.
The older brother of the legendary Bobby, central defender to the 35 caps with the England team (6 goals), died “at home in Northumberland”, said his family, in a statement published by his former club Leeds United.
Arriving in Leeds at just 15 years old in 1950, Jack Charlton played his first pro match in 1953 and wore the club colors for twenty-three years, for a total of 773 games played.
He had to wait until the end of his career to garnish his club record with a title of champion of England in 1969, a Cup of England in 1972 and two Cups of the fair cities (ancestor of the UEFA Cup and the Europa League) in 1968 and 1971 under the orders of Don Revie.
He also scored 96 goals, making him the 9th top scorer in the history of the North England club.
“Saint Jack” to the aid of Eire
As coach, he made the heyday of the Republic of Ireland for ten years and earned the nickname “Saint Jack” by leading Eire in the quarterfinal of the 1990 World Cup in Italy, two years after a victory on England at Euro-1988 remained in the memories. In 1994, he again took the Irish Greens until the round of 16 of the World Cup in the United States.
The fairy tale ended in 1996, but these exploits made him one of the rare personalities to have obtained Irish citizenship on an honorary basis.
On the occasion of his 85th birthday, on May 8, the former Liverpool striker and the Irish national team John Aldridge also described him as “the best manager”.
Tall and gangly, his tongue hung, Jack was the exact opposite of his brother Bobby Charlton, 82, much more reserved in the media.
The two brothers who had fallen into each other’s arms after the historic victory in the final of the 1966 World Cup against Germany at Wembley (4-2) and had the right to a parade with great fanfare in the the mining town of Ashington, where their father Bob had worked as a convict, had for years been confused for family stories.
“There’s nothing to be sad about,” Bobby told the Guardian in 2007. “He’s a big boy, I’m a boy too, and you have to move on. I’m not going not spoil the rest of my life worrying about my brother and I’m sure he does the same. “
With AFP
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