http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munich_air_disaster
The Munich Air Disaster claimed the lives of 23 people, including 8 Manchester United football players, some of whom were set to play in the 1958 World Cup.
What if the crash hadn't occurred?
In my plan TL...
Alternative Football History – 1949,
Gusztav Sebes and
Gyula Mándi talked
László Kubala out of defected to the West. Later same years,
Josep Samitier persuaded
Alfredo Di Stefano that, play for FC Barcelona is a better idea then Millonarios(despite he would earn higher salary at Colombian El Dorado "pirate" league, he would lost the chance to play at the World Cup). A pure handwaves
Oranje,
Barça wank TL that
Die Mannschaft and
Los Merengues fans will not be amused.
…the tragedy butterfly away. Since my TL’s POD occurred in 1949, the European Cup already look very different (no Real Madrid dynasty, even they were still contender). Between late 1950’s and late 1960’s, Manchester United would won more League and European trophies than OTL, but not as successful as OTL 1970’s to 80’s Liverpool FC.
In national team front, England was third place in 1958 World Cup, runner up in 1962 World Cup, semi-finalist of 1964 European Championship, winner of 1966 World Cup (extra time was not needed), winner of 1968 European Championship, and eventually fourth place in 1970 World Cup. Duncan Edwards would manage England between 1982 and 1998, England generally done better than OTL under his tenure, and manage to won 1996 European Championship (thank to his demi-gods status, tabloid press dare not to lynch him when things didn’t went right).