Bobby charlton an appreciation

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Bobby Charlton; an appreciation By the time you read this Wayne Rooney may well have become England’s all time leading goalscorer, overtaking Bobby Charlton’s total of 49. I have no intention of belittling Rooney’s achievement; despite his poor record in major tournaments, his goals per minutes played, and strike rate in qualifying games, stand comparison with modern players such as Lineker,. Shearer, and Owen. However, I would hope that parents everywhere will use this opportunity to acknowledge his feat, then introduce their children to the career of the fellow Manchester United player he has overtaken in the charts, and whose talent and impact on the wider game, offer a stark illustration of the chasm that exists between the very good, and the truly, indisputably great.

Bobby Charlton was described by Franz Beckenbauer, that titan of German football, as the greatest opponent he ever faced. The Kaiser is a deep thinker who weighs his words carefully, and given that he counted Pele and Cruyff among his adversaries during a stellar career, this accolade shows why Charlton was a genuine icon of world football, the Maradona or Messi of his generation. Two footed, fast, and skilful, his most famed attribute was a thunderous shot from distance which was made all the more impressive given the heavy, unresponsive leather footballs used at the time. Winner of both the Champions League and World Cup, and the stand out performer in both tournaments, he also won the League three times.


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