The following are the football (soccer) events of the year 1958 throughout the world.
Events
February 6 –
Munich air disaster: Following a
European Cup quarter-final tie in Belgrade against
Red Star Belgrade,
Matt Busby'sManchester United stop over in Munich for refueling. Two attempts to take off from the
Munich-Riem airport are aborted, with a third attempted at 3:04pm on Flight BE609, a
British European Airways "Elizabethan" class Airspeed Ambassador charter aircraft G-ALZU 'Lord Burghley'. On take off, the aeroplane, carrying players and backroom staff of Manchester United F.C., plus a number of British journalists and supporters, crashed in a blizzard. Twenty-three of the 43 passengers on board the aircraft died in the disaster, including eight Manchester United players, of whom seven died instantly, including the team's captain
Roger Byrne. Centre-half
Duncan Edwards succumbed to his injuries three weeks later. Two other players were forced to retire from professional football as a result of their injuries. Manager Busby was left fighting for his life, and was given the
Last Rites twice, before eventually returning to Manchester in time for the start of the
following season.