To mark the 30 July 50th anniversary of the occasion the National Football Museum will stage a 1966 World Cup Exhibition which it says will incorporate “new immersive technology to recreate the atmosphere of Wembley”, which lets fans experience the game from inside the stadium on that fateful day.
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It was England’s first and only World Cup triumph and, not surprisingly, is still recalled with passion and fondness.
David Walker was just 14 when he watched Geoff Hurst grab a hat-trick at the world cup final.
In April 1966, only weeks before the tournament, England’s skipper asked for a transfer from West Ham, but Hammers boss Ron Greenwood refused to consider the request and replaced him as club captain. It would be against their bitterest rivals, West Germany, less than two decades after the Second World War. A late consolation penalty from Eusebio was all the Portuguese could manage as an unbreakable England went through to the final. Ramsey ended the match snarling that the Latin Americans were “animals”, some of the Argentine players surrounded the referee and his shirt was ripped.
With the score at 2-1, England were back in front.
Hurst revealed over the weekend that German midfielder Helmut Haller had “stolen” the ball after the final and remained in Germany for 30 years.
And even though Wolfgang Weber stabbed in at the back post to force extra-time, Hurst grabbed what proved to be the victor.
In Hurst’s mind though, he still has no doubt that it was the right decision. Hurst had started to celebrate but looked dejected when it seemed it would be a corner with the crowd having jumped up and down now as quiet as mice.
“And I’ve always gone on my team-mate Roger Hunt’s celebration”.
It does not take much for the English, same as us Australians after all, to get carried away so you can imagine the level of euphoria and optimism that greeted the famous victory over the Germans. “It might have saved all this debate if he had, but I’m glad he didn’t”.
Despite controversies both in the final and throughout the competition helping them on their way to glory, England have not had as good a team since.
England beat West Germany 4-2 after extra-time in the final at Wembley.
She added: “I am thrilled that the Bobby Moore Fund will benefit from the sales, as the money it will raise will help us continue the important work battling cancer we do in Bobby’s name'”. However, the England striker will admit that after he hit the ball, he did not have the greatest view of what transpired in that 101st minute of play.
Ex-Sunderland gaffer now the current England manager Sam Allardyce tells FA TV the country should be proud.
The 11 players who missed out on a place in the final line-up had to wait until the 1970s before they received a winners’ medal.
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Jack, who played in goal for local team Melbourne Hall, said: “I had been to the game and was well refreshed”.
