Busby exemplified courage in all his endeavors. He not only placed his faith in the young talents known as the ‘Babes’, but also ensured that United became the first English team to participate in the European Cup, which eventually evolved into the Champions League.
In our inaugural season, we faced Real Madrid in the semi-finals, and this defeat fueled Busby’s determination to triumph over them the following year. Tragically, that opportunity would never arise.
On February 6, 1958, while returning from a match against Red Star Belgrade, their plane met with disaster in Munich after a refueling stop. The crash claimed the lives of 23 individuals, including eight players.
Busby sustained severe injuries and spent nine weeks in a German hospital, where at times, doctors and family members braced themselves for the worst.
Despite the heartbreak of losing so many friends, Busby gradually healed and ultimately chose to continue in football, driven by a desire to honor those who had perished.
Though it took some time, Busby succeeded in assembling his third formidable team, relying on Munich survivors like Bill Foulkes and Bobby Charlton, while nurturing more young talent from the youth academy and welcoming new recruits such as striker Denis Law.
