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Manchester: Bobby Charlton, an English soccer icon who survived a plane crash that decimated a Manchester United team destined for greatness to become the heartbeat of his country’s 1966 World Cup-winning team, has died. He was 86.

A statement from Charlton's family, released by United, said he died Saturday surrounded by his family.

An extravagantly gifted midfielder with a ferocious shot, Charlton was the leading scorer for both United (249 goals) and England (49 goals) for more than 40 years until being overtaken by Wayne Rooney.

“Sir Bobby was a hero to millions, not just in Manchester, or the United Kingdom, but wherever football is played around the world,” United said.

“He was admired as much for his sportsmanship and integrity as he was for his outstanding qualities as a footballer; Sir Bobby will always be remembered as a giant of the game.”

Alex Ferguson, who managed United from 1986-2013, said before Charlton's death that he “is the greatest Manchester United player of all time—and that’s saying something.”

“Bobby Charlton is absolutely without peer in the history of the English game,” Ferguson said.

Charlton was also renowned for his humility, discipline and sportsmanship. He was never sent off in 758 appearances for United from 1956-73 or 106 internationals for England from 1958-70.

Charlton played with George Best and Denis Law in the so-called “Trinity” that led United to the 1968 European Cup after surviving the 1958 Munich crash that wiped out the celebrated “Busby Babes” team. He won three English league titles at United, and one FA Cup.

“For a footballer, he offered an unparalleled combination of grace, power and precision,” said former United defender Bill Foulkes, another survivor of the Munich air crash.

“It added up to a greatness and something more—something I can only call beauty.”

Charlton’s England scoring record stood for 45 years until Rooney scored his 50th goal for the national team in September 2015. Three of his England goals came in the World Cup in 1966, during which Charlton played every minute for the team and stood out especially in the semifinals when he scored twice against Portugal to lead England to a first major final.

England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra time in the final.

Although Ryan Giggs beat Charlton’s appearance record for United in 2008, his scoring record for the club lasted another nine years. It was only in 2017—44 years after Charlton last wore the famous red jersey of England’s most successful club — that Rooney scored his 250th goal for United.

After retiring in 1973, Charlton went into coaching and founded a youth scheme that included David Beckham, a future United and England great, among its participants.

After brief spells in charge of Preston, Wigan and Irish side Waterford, Charlton returned to United in 1984 as a director and persuaded the board in 1986 to appoint Ferguson, who delivered 38 trophies during nearly 27 years in charge.

Knighted in 1994 by Queen Elizabeth II, Charlton remains a mainstay at Old Trafford, featuring alongside Best and Law on a statue outside United’s stadium.

Charlton avoided the controversies and distractions that damaged the career of Best, with his style and demeanor bringing a popularity that transcended the tribalism of club and international football.

“I felt he could be a bit aloof,” the late Best said in a 2001 magazine interview. “We were never at each other’s throats, we simply didn’t go and have a pint together.”

Robert Charlton was born 11 Oct 1937, in the coal-mining town of Ashington, northeast England, and his talent was obvious from a young age.

“We realized Bobby was going to be a bit special as a player when he was about five years old,” said older brother Jack, who played for Leeds and won the World Cup alongside him. “He was always kicking a football or a tennis ball against a wall and when it bounced back it stuck to him like a magnet.”

Charlton wrote in 2007 that his family sometimes relied on illegally caught salmon or rabbit to ward off hunger, while his father—also named Robert—gathered coal washed up on local beaches and sold it to bolster his income.

His father’s commitment to his mining colleagues meant that in 1966 he missed Charlton scoring both goals against Portugal in that World Cup semifinal because he didn’t want someone else to have to cover for him in the pit. He was, however, persuaded to attend the final when the Charlton brothers lifted the trophy.

Charlton’s playing career began far from home in Manchester after leaving school at 15, making his United debut three years later against Charlton in 1956.

Within two years, tragedy struck the tight-knit group of United players whose relationship was forged as trainees in austere conditions. The team was still celebrating winning at Red Star Belgrade to secure a place in the European Cup semi finals when their plane caught fire on its third attempt to take off in heavy snow after a refueling stop in Germany.

Charlton miraculously emerged from the smoldering wreckage with only light head injuries and picked his way through the wreckage to help survivors. Spotting manager Matt Busby groaning in agony on the smoke-shrouded runway, Charlton rushed to help the father-figure who had promoted him to the first team.

But eight members of the “Busby Babes” team packed with bright prospects were among the 21 fatalities. They included Duncan Edwards, considered one of England’s most talented players at 21.

“Sometimes it engulfs me with terrible anger and regret and sadness—and guilt that I walked away and found so much,” Charlton wrote in 2007.

Charlton became driven by a lingering obligation to preserve the memories of the Munich dead, returning to action less than four weeks later and helping a hurriedly assembled team of survivors and stand-ins reach that season’s FA Cup final.

Busby rebuilt his team around Charlton, adding the 1965 and 1967 English league titles to the championship they won in 1957.

“There was always one great hope—the return to greatness of my beloved club,” Charlton said.

The biggest prize of his club career arrived in 1968 as United became the first English club to become champion of Europe. Charlton scored twice in a 4-1 extra-time win over a Benfica team containing Portugal great Eusebio.

But Charlton is perhaps best known for being part of the England team that won the World Cup. It remains England’s only major title in men’s soccer.

Charlton and his brother fell out over Jack’s public assertion that Bobby’s wife caused him to become estranged from his mother. But the pair reconciled and Jack presented Bobby with a lifetime achievement trophy at the 2008 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Award.

“We have had our public disputes, proving that in any family discord can sometimes disrupt the force of love and blood, but throughout that time I never lost the sense of wonder and gratitude that we were together in 1966 on such a great day in the history of our nation’s sport,” Bobby Charlton said.

In Nov 2020, it was announced that Charlton had been diagnosed with dementia, the same disease that afflicted his brother—who died in 2020 at age 85—and another World Cup winner, Nobby Stiles.

“This man, from day one, was everything I wanted to be,” United striker Marcus Rashford wrote of Charlton after hearing about the diagnosis. “Kind, professional, caring, talented.”

He is survived by his wife, Norma, whom he married in 1961, and his two daughters.

AP

Kathmandu: Nepal has secured its spot in the final of the ACC U-19 Premier Cup Cricket Tournament. In the semi-final match held in Malaysia, Nepal defeated Japan by 144 runs under the Duckworth-Lewis method.

With its entry into the final, Nepal has qualified to compete in the U-19 Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan.

The match was affected by rain when Nepal had scored 140 runs with the loss of two wickets in 25 overs. As the rain continued to delay the game, the stipulated 50 overs were reduced to 22, with a target of 187 runs set for Japan to win. In response, Japan managed to score only 43 runs in 11.5 overs, losing all their wickets.

None of Japan’s players, apart from Shotaro Hiratsuka (15) and Kiefer Yamamoto (13), could reach a double-digit score.

Nepal’s Hemant Dhami and Dipesh Kandel took three wickets each, while Subash Bhandari took two, and Akash Chand took one wicket.

Deepak Bohora was the top scorer for Nepal, amassing 79 runs with 10 boundaries and two sixes in 70 balls.

Similarly, Deepak and Akash Tripathi partnered for 93 runs for the second wicket, with Akash contributing 35 runs, while Arjun Kumal made 10 runs and Dev Khanal scored eight.

Nepal will face the UAE in the final on Oct 24. The UAE reached the final by defeating Singapore in another semi-final match.

Nepal hammered Hong Kong by six wickets in their second match of the T20 International Triangular Series on Thursday.

Nepal reached the target of 95 runs set by Hong Kong in 13.5 overs.

In the match played at the Mulpani Ground in Kathmandu this afternoon, Hong Kong scored 94 runs in 19.3 overs losing all the wickets.

Chasing the target of 95 runs, Asif Sheikh scored highest 42 runs off 36 balls hitting six fours for Nepal.

Captain Rohit Paudel contributed 25 runs and Gulsan Jha unbeaten 14.

Yasim Murtaza of Hong Kong scored 36 runs and Zeeshan Ali added 17 runs to the scoreboard while other batsmen failed to score in double digits.

Karan KC of Nepal took four wickets.  Similarly, Sompal Kami and Abhinas Jha claimed two wickets each and Kushal Malla and Mausam Dhakal took one wicket each for Nepal.

Earlier, Nepal had won the toss and invited Hong Kong to bat first.

In their first match, Nepal defeated the UAE by seven wickets.

A milestone is being marked with the inclusion of esports as an official medal event at the Asian Games, currently underway in Hangzhou, the capital of Zhejiang province, ChinaDaily reported.

The eyes of players from across Asia are firmly focused on the Games, with many of them viewing this inclusion as the latest boost to esports development.

Speaking in July at the 2023 Global Esports Summit in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, president of the Asian Electronic Sports Federation, said: "The Asian esports industry is booming, and has already unleashed its huge potential. It has the power to connect people from different backgrounds, cultures, countries and regions."

Esports was included in the Asian Games for the first time as a demonstration sport at the 2018 edition in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, with China winning two gold medals and a silver.

As an official medal sport this year in Hangzhou, esports features seven competitions: Arena of Valor Asian Games Version, Dota 2, Dream Three Kingdoms 2, League of Legends, PUBG Mobile Asian Games Version, Street Fighter V, and EA SPORTS' FIFA-branded soccer game.

Team China is taking part in six of the seven events, the exception being Street Fighter V. The 31 players on the Chinese team were selected from 125 candidates, while the five national team coaches for the six squads were selected from 27 contenders, according to ChinaDaily.

Zhu Kai, head coach of the Chinese League of Legends squad, said: "Since 2012, I have worked with League of Legends for 11 years, and I have coached many professional clubs that have won competitions. However, coaching the League of Legends national team at the Asian Games is a special honor and responsibility for me.

"All I need to do is ensure that our players have the best possible conditions for the Asian Games. We made careful plans before the start of our program, based on our experience in 2018 at the Asian Games in Jakarta and in the professional leagues."

Zhu said his players train for an average of 10 hours a day, and they have to abide by an extremely strict program and take adequate rest.

"During our training camp, we made many preparations for the players, including psychological counseling, training for major sports events, and even character tests," Zhu added.

Such experiences are new to the young players, most of whom have joined the national team for the first time.

This generation of players has experienced the dramatic growth of esports during the past decade. A mature professional league system, enthusiastic support for the national team, and a fast-growing industry were unimaginable for many of these players when they first took up esports.

Ji Xing, head coach of the Chinese League of Legends squad, which won the gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games, told Xinhua News Agency: "Ten years ago, when I joined my first esports club, I felt as though I had walked into an internet cafe hidden away in an old neighborhood. But look at what we have now. The industry is developing so fast that some clubs even have their buildings."

Since joining the sector in 2012, Ji has taken on many roles, including tactical analyst, coach, team leader and club manager. His most memorable career memory to date is the 2018 Asian Games, when he steered the Chinese team to gold in the demonstration event.

"I had seen sports champions win honors for our nation, but never thought that one day I would do the same. It's a great honor to make a contribution to the sector," Ji said.

A key reason for the popularity of esports is the fast-growing games industry.

A development report released for the 2023 Global Esports Summit and Tencent Esports Annual Conference in July said global esports audiences are expected to reach 574 million by the end of this year, and in 2025, the figure will likely grow to 641 million. By the end of this year, global esports revenue is forecast to reach $1.8 billion, the report said.

In February, a report released by the China Audio-Video and Digital Publishing Association's electronics sports committee said Chinese esports audiences and players totaled 488 million last year.

Mars Hou, vice-president of Tencent Games and general manager of Tencent Esports, said, "Esports is a booming new industry in the digital era, and we have millions of esports players and spectators.

"We expect to have further communication and cooperation with more partners in sectors such as international communication, talent selection and nurturing, digital sports studies, and industry standardization."

Dreams come true

The inclusion of esports at a major event is a dream come true for many people who work in the sector, including Ji, former head coach of the Chinese League of Legends squad, who believes it will further boost the industry's global growth.

"The inclusion of esports at the Asian Games will allow more people in Asia and the world to familiarize themselves with esports, and more of them will probably decide to join this big family," Ji said.

In addition to the Asian Games, esports has attracted attention elsewhere. For example, the Olympic Esports Series, which was staged in March, is a global virtual and simulated sports competition created by the International Olympic Committee, or IOC, in collaboration with international federations and games publishers.

In June, the first-ever Olympic Esports Week was staged in Singapore. The four-day festival showcased a number of quality virtual sports and the latest simulated sports technologies and innovations. This event is designed to support the development of esports within the Olympic Movement and to engage with the competitive games community.

Different from the esports events at the Asian Games, the 10 games at the Olympic Esports Week were chosen by international federations to represent their sports, which are mostly simulations of traditional sports such as baseball, cycling and tennis.

IOC President Thomas Bach said in May, "Our approach to esports is to prioritize virtual sports — meaning reality sports — where there is physical activity, such as cycling and rowing. In the meantime, there is even an electronic form of taekwondo, along with a number of other sports.

"The physical activity of these athletes is on the same level as those engaged in traditional sports. Whether you're doing a leg of the Tour de France on your cycle at home, or doing the real leg, the physical activity and the challenges are the same."

In 2021, the IOC unanimously approved the Olympic Agenda 2020+5, which includes encouraging the development of virtual sports and engaging further with video games communities. But there are some "red lines".

Bach said, "When it comes to e-games, there is a very clear red line. Games that are contradictory to Olympic values, such as killer games or those that are discriminatory, are absolutely taboo to the Olympic Movement."

More than players

While many young esports enthusiasts can only dream of becoming top players, the industry is not solely about those who shine on the stage, as it comprises a variety of talent, including games designers, team managers and broadcasters.

Ji said: "Esports is an industry that can cooperate with many other sectors. In the future, it will be connected to more industries, which will create increased opportunities.

"For example, there is a need for experts to transform coaches' tactics and decisions into data and visual information so that we can better analyze our tactics. We need more talent."

Ji added that there are extremely high standards for professional players, but not all those who love esports will make it to the top.

"Truly talented professional players are not addicted to games. They have to be highly efficient and complete their tasks quickly. Moreover, becoming a successful professional player requires a lot more than merely having good skills. A player needs to have a strong mentality and know how to cooperate well with the team," Ji added.

One such example is commentator Guan Zeyuan, who has done well in esports, but not as a player.

"I wanted to become a professional player, but it was obvious that I'm not talented enough," said Guan, whose passionate style of commentary has attracted more than 7.5 million followers on social media.

"I want to continue being involved with esports. I remember the first time that I went to Brazil to work as a commentator in 2017. I was deeply impressed by the passion of the spectators. It was the first time I felt that the level of passion for esports could be as high as that for a soccer match, ChinaDaily reported.

"Esports has taught me a lot, including the need to be persistent, which is key to being successful. In this industry, I have met many great people, who have taught me a lot."