Former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire was one of just four current players who attended the funeral of Sir Bobby Charlton on Monday. 

Around 1,000 mourners, including some of the biggest names in British football, arrived at Manchester Cathedral to honour the 86-year-old 1966 World Cup winner and club hero.

Old Trafford legend Sir Alex Fergusson led the Red Devils’ contingent and was joined by England boss Gareth Southgate and a host of others including Maguire, Luke Shaw, Jonny Evans and Tom Heaton. 

The likes of Andre Onana, Altay Bayindir, Victor Lindelof, Diogo Dalot, Sofyan Amrabat, Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Marcus Rashford all received call-ups from their respective international sides ahead of fixtures at the end of this week. 

Former Man United captain Harry Maguire was one of four players who attended the funeral

Jonny Evans returned to United this summer having left in 2015 after nine years at Old Trafford

Ferguson was pictured alongside David Gill arriving at the memorial service in Manchester

Though, Maguire was present despite his inclusion in Southgate’s squad for games against Malta and North Macedonia. 

It means that Antony, Anthony Martial, Casemiro, Rasmus Hojlund, Christian Eriksen, Mason Mount, Tyrell Malacia, Sergio Reguilon, Jadon Sancho, Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez, who are not involved in the upcoming international break, were not in attendance on Monday afternoon. 

United’s current crop were also without their manager Erik ten Hag who was unable to attend due to an ‘unbreakable and long-standing personal commitment in the Netherlands’.

He came in for criticism from former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys, who called his absence a disgrace. 

‘I don’t care what it is that ten Hag claims was ‘an unbreakable commitment’ in Holland,’ he wrote on X, formerly Twitter. ‘There is no way that he should’ve missed Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral. It’s a disgrace. There would be no Utd without the likes of Sir Bob. RIP. And thank you for what you gave to all of us.’

Sir Bobby Charlton’s funeral cortege is set to pass Old Trafford before heading on to Manchester Cathedral for a memorial service. 

A United representative invited fans and members of the public to ‘pay their respects along the route’ ahead of the service, which began at 2pm.

The service at the cathedral was led by Canon Nigel Ashworth and featured eulogies by family members and the club. 

Football fans from across the world were devastated to hear Charlton, who battled dementia in his later years, died following an accidental fall at a care home in Knutsford, Cheshire.

Scores of people lined up to pay their respects as Sir Bobby’s hearse passed Old Trafford today

The funeral cortege passed by the large banner of Charlton hanging outside Old Trafford

His family released the following statement at the time: ‘It is with great sadness that we share the news that Sir Bobby passed peacefully in the early hours of Saturday morning. He was surrounded by his family.

‘His family would like to pass on their thanks to everyone who has contributed to his care and for the many people who have loved and supported him. We would request that the family’s privacy be respected at this time.’

Manchester United said ‘words will never be enough’ as they mourn ‘one of the greatest and most beloved players in the history of our club’, while England described Charlton, who had previously held the record as all-time top goalscorer for both England and United, as a ‘true legend of our game’.

Sir Bobby had withdrawn from public life since he was diagnosed with dementia in November 2020.