World Cup History: England avenge World War bombing at Wembley

This FIFA World Cup History feature is part of our build-up to the 2014 edition, which will chart the most special moments from previous tournaments. Today we have a look at the 1966 World Cup.

The aftermath of final came to be dominated by that goal by Geoff Hurst and the debate continues today. The game was tied at 2-2 in extra-time when Hurst struck a shot at goal. The ball cannoned off the inside of the bar, hit the ground in the vicinity of the line, then bounced away from the goal. The referee hesitated but Soviet linesman Tofik Bakhramov did not and England had a 3-2 lead. England would score one more to lift their first and only World Cup.

The legend of Hurst’s goal has only grown since then. There is even an apocryphal story that on his deathbed, Bakhramov was asked how he was sure it was a goal. “Stalingrad,” he replied — in reference to the World War II battle in which 750,000 Soviets died.

The World War II reference is not entirely misplaced though. The 1966 clash was symbolic in terms in that this was the first time England faced Germany on the football field since the incessant bombing that London was subjected to by the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain. Twenty six years since the deadliest conflict in human history, England welcomed home Germany to Wembley in a match which they still swear by — because since then, their powers have waned while their national league has become stronger.

In the early years of the World Cup, England treated themselves as the world champions and the World Cup as beneath them. They were proud, too proud, of being inventors of the game. Yet when they finally joined the tournament in 1950, they found other countries now better at their own game. Winning in 1966 was therefore vindication of their long-held beliefs.

And if you see the side they boasted and how they played, they surely deserved it. This was a team that boasted of Gordon Banks, Nobby Stiles, Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton, Hurst and Roger Hunt among others — and managed by Alf Ramsey, under whom England saw their strongest international performances.

Ramsey’s tactics were what you could call very un-England. He dropped orthodox wingers and started playing attacking midfielders in their place — players who contributed defensively and would confuse opposition full-backs. This was a system heavy on play through the middle, with Bobby Charlton once saying: “The Spanish fullbacks were just looking at each other while we were going in droves through the middle”. Yes, there was a time when England could easily beat Spain in Spain.

Football’s popularity had exponentially grown by 66’ — it was the most watched World Cup and held that record for a surprising 28 years. It was also the last World Cup to be broadcast in black and white. With so much happening, and the whole ‘football is coming home’ theme, England were certainly pepped up and saw off Argentina (1-0) and Portugal (2-1) in the knockouts after coming through a group including Uruguay, Mexico and France.

West Germany took the lead in the final only for Hurts to equalise before a Martin Peters goal put the hosts 2-1 up. But Wolfgang Weber scored and the match went into extra-time, where two more Hurst strikes sealed the cup.

It wasn’t just England who made a name for themselves in 1966. There was another team which worked wonders — an Asian team. North Korea qualified for the quarters after a stunning 1-0 win over Italy in the group stage and almost went one better against Portugal. They took a shocking 3-0 lead before the legendary Eusebio came to the rescue, scoring four goals in a 5-3 comeback victory.

1966 created the still riveting rivalry between England and Germany. And for those who belief Hurst’s strike was not a goal, there’s one last interesting piece in the jigsaw puzzle. With England a goal up and seconds left for full-time, West Germany scored through Weber with evidence that Karl-Heinz Schnellinger handled the ball in the run-up.

It was just meant to be England’s World Cup.

World Cup 1966

Hosts: England Champions: England (4-2 vs West Germany) Top-scorer: Eusebio (nine goals)

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