Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea paid his tributes to Sir Michael Gambon, who played the role of Albus Dumbledore in six of the eight Harry Potter movies. Gambon died peacefully in the hospital on September 28, 2023.
The Harry Potter fandom was heartbroken upon receiving the news of Gambon’s death. Daniel Radcliffe and Emma Watson paid their tributes along with several other celebrities. Spanish soccer star De Gea was one of them.
The goalkeeper took to his Instagram Story to make his sorrow known. He posted a picture of Gambon as Dumbledore and added a black heart emoji along with a prayer emoji.
Sir Michael Gambon’s cause of death
Sir Michael Gambon passed away at the age of 82 following a bout of pneumonia, according to a statement released by his family. The statement read: “We are devastated to announce the loss of Sir Michael Gambon.
“We ask that you respect our privacy at this painful time and thank you for your messages of support and love.”
Emma Watson pays a touching tribute to the late Michael Gambon, reflecting on his remarkable ability to infuse gravitas into every moment. A true legend we will dearly miss.
#RIPMichaelGambon #Legend pic.twitter.com/oP5xYHyL58
— FirstCuriosity (@FirstCuriosity) September 29, 2023
Gambon’s career spanned over six decades. He began his acting career in the early 1960s and played the role of Dumbledore for the first time in 2004 in the third edition — Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. He mesmerized the Potter fandom with his acting skills for years. Today, they have raised their wands in remembrance.
However, this is not the first time an actor who played Dumbledore has died. Richard Harris played Dumbledore in the first two editions. He died in 2002 and Gambon took over from the third edition.
Sir Michael Gambon aka Dumbledore has sadly passed away. 🤧😩😞😭 pic.twitter.com/ZysFJ5uSu8
— DarkKnight_wdk (Wraith Partner) (@WelshDarkKnight) September 28, 2023
Gambon earned three Olivier Awards, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and four BAFTA Awards. He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1998.
In the latter years of life, Gambon complained about memory loss and difficulty in remembering lines. This had become one of the reasons why he gradually took his leave from acting.
David de Gea is still on a hunt for a club after Manchester United departure
De Gea served Manchester United for over a decade before taking his leave in the summer of 2023. He was not what United manager Erik ten Hag was looking for in a goalkeeper and therefore he was not in the future plans of the club. Andre Onana replaced De Gea as the first-team goalkeeper.
It has been months since De Gea’s departure was announced, however, he is still without a club. The 32-year-old is still young in goalkeeping terms and has years of playing career ahead of him. However, reports have emerged that he might look to retire if he is not offered a No. 1 role at a major club.
🚨 Cristiano Ronaldo has been attempting to persuade former Manchester United team-mate David De Gea to join him at Al-Nassr but the Spaniard would prefer to stay in Europe.
(Source: 90min) pic.twitter.com/j6q3VgytTw
— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) September 23, 2023
It is surprising that a goalkeeper of De Gea’s caliber has not received any offer from major clubs to be their No. 1. He has, however, received several offers from other clubs but it seems he has rejected all of them. Recent reports suggest that Cristiano Ronaldo is looking to convince De Gea to make a move to Al-Nassr. De Gea reportedly received an offer from Saudi Arabia previously but money is not a prime motivator.
As of now, De Gea is enjoying a break in his career. The Premier League Golden Glove winner is waiting for the correct opportunity to make the move that he wants.
