5 former Manchester United players who have won the World Cup

#4 Nobby Stiles

Stiles is one of the most lesser known Manchester United legends

Someone who was a successor to the sort of a player that Roy Keane was, Nobby Stiles is one of those lesser-known Manchester United players who probably deserves more attention and credit than they get. And rightly so, Stiles is one of two United players to have won the World Cup as a Red Devils player.

A product of United’s famed youth academy, Stiles began his career in 1957 as a youngster when he was a short player and scary to look at because of a significant gap between his teeth. He had balding problems at a very young age and also suffered from severe short-sightedness. He was a fierce holding midfielder and was handed a debut in 1960.

Stiles made about 395 appearances for United throughout his stay till 1971 and won the European Cup in 1968, where he starred in the final. Two years before that, Stiles also became a very important part of Alf Ramsey’s side that won the FIFA World Cup in 1966 and it was because of his dominating presence in midfield that allowed the likes of Bobby Charlton to sparkle.

One big highlight of Stiles’ career is when he pocketed the great Eusebio in the European Cup final of 1968.