Back to the Manchester United Newsfeed

Charlton, Muller, Stiles... They were history's finest players, but now a generation of World Cup winners and greats from across the globe are succumbing to dementia - and showing all their famed fight against the cruel disease

Within hours of the tragic news that England legend Sir Bobby Charlton had been diagnosed with dementia, the wife of Gerd Muller, one of Germany's greatest players, shed more light on the painful decline of her husband, who has the same disease.

Charlton, a Manchester United hero, and Muller, the talisman of Bayern Munich, did battle on the pitch during their illustrious careers, notably for their countries in the 1970 World Cup quarter-final in Mexico.

England were cruelly eliminated that day in Leon. After taking a 2-0 lead against West Germany, they conceded the equalizer with eight minutes to go, and Muller, of course, forced the winner in extra-time.