Nobby Stiles was an important member of the English team that won the world championship in 1966.
England midfielder Nobby Stiles died at the age of 78 after a long illness.
The former Manchester United player had prostate cancer and developed dementia.
Stiles is the seventh member of the English national team after Captain Bobby Moore, Alan Ball, Ray Wilson, Gordon Banks, Martin Peters and Jack Charlton, who died in the 1966 World Cup final against West Germany.
Stiles, born in Manchester, was awarded the IBE title in 2000.
His family’s statement states that the Stiles family must announce with sadness that Nobby Stiles died peacefully today in his family circle after a long illness.
The family asks for privacy at this sad moment.
Stiles defeated England in 28 international matches and played a key role in neutralizing the Portuguese star Eusebio in the semifinals of 1966, followed by another penalty in a dramatic 4-2 victory over West Germany in added time.
It’s very sad to hear of Nobby’s death, said Sir Jeff Hearst, who scored a hat-trick in the finals.
He is a great character and the heart and soul of the team, he will be greatly missed.
At club level, Stiles won two English titles and the 1968 European Cup during his 11-year career with Manchester United.
From 1960 to 1971 he played almost 400 appearances for the Red Devils, then played for Middlesbrough and Preston North End and retired in 1975.
He took over Preston in 1977-1981, after which he had a short and unsuccessful career at West Bromwich Albion during the 1985-1986 season.
In 1989, United asked him to return as coach of the youth team and helped him develop players like Red Devil legends Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.
Rest in peace, Nobby. Thank you for everything you’ve done for us. They taught us to fight for everything in that red shirt, Neville said.
It’s sad to hear of the death of Nobby Stiles, said former English striker Gary Lynecker.
There’s another one of our heroes who won the 1966 World Cup. He had a heart even bigger than the crack in his teeth. Nobby’s R.I.P.
The English team said it was incredibly sad to hear of Stiles’ death and that all our thoughts were with Nobby’s loved ones.
Alex Stepney, a former Manchester United goalkeeper and Stiles teammate, said the midfielder was a real diamond.
A lot of people thought he was just a difficult man, but there are certain moments in the team where a player has to score 90 minutes, and Nobby could do incredibly well, he told Sport.
He was seen with Eusebio in 1966. He could read the game well and knew it.
If I’d made a mistake, he would have scolded me during the game. If he tells you, you won’t do it again. He just wanted to be a winner.
Manchester United was in his heart and that was his team.
After leaving Old Trafford in 1993, Stiles became a popular afternoon speaker.
But when his health deteriorated, he withdrew from public attention – in 2010 he suffered a minor stroke and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and prostate cancer.
In 2010 he sold his World Cup and European Cup medals, which Manchester United bought for a total of over £200,000.
In May 2016, the street in Collickhurst, the area of Manchester where he grew up, was named after him.
In a documentary film aired in 2017, Stiles’ son John told former English captain Alan Shearer that he was absolutely certain that his father’s dementia was the fault of football club management.
Former Preston and Liverpool defender Mark Lawrenceon said Stiles made me more than any other Preston player – a true gentleman. Love of family, very sad day.
Preston said everyone in the club is saddened by the death of the former Nobby Stiles player and advertising director – our thoughts are with the Nobby family at this incredibly sad time.
Middlesbrough paid tribute to the toothless tiger and called Stiles one of the smartest characters to wear our shirt.
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