England 4 West Germany 2 – 1966 World Cup Final
Saturday July 30, 1966: World Cup Final.
England 4 West Germany 2 after extra time.
England: G.Banks, G.Cohen, R.Wilson, N.Stiles, J.Charlton, B.Moore, A.Ball, R.Hunt, B.Charlton, G.Hurst, M.Peters.
West Germany: H.Tilkowski, H.Hottges, K.Schnellinger, F.Beckenbauer, W.Schulz, W.Weber, H.Haller, W.Overath, U.Seeler, S.Held, L.Emmerich.
Match Report: We all know the 1966 World Cup final as the greatest night in the history of English football. However, it probably doesn’t go down as one of the team’s best performances. Although the match ended up being incredibly dramatic there was precious little quality displayed.
One of the reasons for this came in the mutual respect, perhaps fear, each side had for the others’ star player. The Germans rightly feared Bobby Charlton’s threat. His sharpshooting had been the principal reason for England’s progress to the final and to counter this Germany deployed their own outstanding player, Franz Beckenbauer, to mark Charlton.
Charlton was also under orders to make sure “Der Kaiser” did not get the room to start too many German attacks. Thus two of the greatest players in the world cancelled each other out in the biggest game of their lives.
The game started with a series of nervous, mis-placed passes. Both sides were guilty but England were particularly careless. The Germans did manage a couple of quick attacks which offered promise. The first chance came when Bobby Moore could only half clear under pressure from Held, the ball dropped to Emmerich who slipped it back into Held. The tubby striker looked offside, he was certainly unmarked, but the flag stayed down. From 15 yards out, however, he dragged his shot wide.
Emmerich himself had a shooting chance a couple of minutes later but was wildly off target at the end of a good passing move.
England did not mount a real attack until the eighth minute and the source was an unusual one. Jack Charlton stepped forward to break up a German move and strode forward to play a one two with Alan Ball before feeding Martin Peters. Peters sent in a dangerous cross-shot which Tilkowski was happy to tip wide for a corner. When this came across Geoff Hurst snatched at his snap shot and saw the ball disappear behind the goal.
On twelve minutes England fell behind to a disastrous goal. Ray Wilson made a complete mess of a routine headed clearance and sent the ball straight down to the feet of Haller. His cross-shot was hardly the strongest but it bounced beyond Jack Charlton and evaded the grasping hands of Gordon Banks to nestle in the far corner.
It was still early days but England’s start did not give confidence that this goal might easily be retrieved. As it happened England were level six minutes later. It was hardly surprising that it was a goal out of nothing.
Bobby Moore looked to come forward but was tripped by Overath. Even the England captain didn’t look his usual calm self as he grabbed after the ball as he fell and then stalled when it looked like he was about to send in a quick free kick.
The delay was only fractional, however, as Moore then did deliver the ball into the box where Hurst was on the move and met the ball completely unmarked eight yards out in front of goal. His downward header gave the keeper no chance.
It was a rare moment of clarity and cohesion from the England side and had crucially got them level.
Still the Germans looked marginally the better side, however. Uwe Seeler got up for two trademark headers, one forcing Banks into a low save, the other drifting wide. Then he turned Moore sweetly to send a ball inside Wilson that Haller was just unable to reach as the full back applied pressure.
In response Bobby Charlton saw a low shot saved, but it was not one of his specials, and then sent over a quality ball after a sweeping run that Roger Hunt could not quite reach.
Germany were undoubtedly playing the better football at this stage. Moving forward in twos and threes and knitting together some clever close passes. England had little width or movement and were playing a lot more hopeful balls.
Alan Ball was everywhere in his attempts to get in the game but without much success at this stage. Wherever he went the left back Schnellinger would follow. Later on the German would pay for this diligence.
Suddenly England almost took the lead. George Cohen broke forward to send a high ball into the middle and Hurst got up superbly to direct a header towards the foot of the post. Tilkowski was down smartly to parry but Ball was on hand to squeeze the rebound back across goal. There were no takers, however, and the question of Roger Hunt’s whereabouts was again a source of mystery.
The suggestion that England might be finding some fluency was quickly dispelled as Cohen and Ball got into a terrible muddle and Jack Charlton needed to be alert to get across and clear infront of Held.
From the corner Banks then needed to look lively to make a double save from Overath and Emmerich.
Next it was Bobby Moore with the vital intervention as Emmerich threatened to break clear. There was no question that the skipper and Jackie Charlton had been England’s two most important players in the first half.
Another pocket of England pressure showed that the German defence was not at all safe when called upon. Hurst won another majestic header to tee up Hunt but his drive was straight at Tilkowski and then Bobby Charlton slipped a lovely ball into the box that Peters did not read and the chance was lost.
The last action of the half saw Seeler allowed to carry the ball from his own half and unleash a 30 yard drive that Banks was at full stretch to tip away.
It had not been a great half for England and they could be grateful to still be on level terms.
1966 World Cup Final – Half Time: England 1 West Germany 1
The second half started quietly bar for one incident in which Bobby Charlton was blatantly tripped inside the box running onto a nice through ball by Alan Ball but no penalty was forthcoming. Nobody seemed that bothered either; it was certainly a different game in those days.
Peters headed wide from a Ball centre and was again off target from just outside the box when the keeper punched a Wilson centre straight to his feet.
Although the Germans were still looking better in possession Moore was now playing majestically, breaking up danger consistently, and was ably assisted by big Jack in his endeavours. This defensive solidity was beginning to give England the edge, especially as Ball was having increasing joy as he dragged Schnellinger all over the pitch.
Midway through the half Jack Charlton was inches away from giving England the lead with a header from another Moore free kick.
Then England’s best move of the game could have brought reward. Moore was involved twice while Bobby Charlton and Ball also played their part. When Charlton looked to get onto Hurst’s knock down, however, he was barged out of the way by Beckenbauer whose momentum then had him taking his own keeper out. Again the polite penalty appeals were ignored.
Charlton was then close with a cross-shot after more good work by Moore, assisted by Peters and another Hurst knock down. This was much better by England.
Thirteen minutes from time this pressure was rewarded as England took the lead. Ball saw his shot deflected behind for a corner which he went across to take himself. The ball was half cleared to Hurst lurking around the angle of the box and he drove the ball back across goal. There was little danger until Hottges made a complete mess of his attempted clearance and sent the ball looping backwards towards a line of red shirts.
Martin Peters was the man it fell to and his low shot bisected the men on the line and England had the lead.
Now the action stepped up a gear as the Germans desperately looked to save themselves. Schnellinger sent a snap shot straight at Banks while Hurst was well off target after being provided by the tireless Ball.
Weber then wasted a wonderful chance, heading wide from just six yards out following an Emmerich free kick.
As England came under pressure Moore showed his incredible composure by turning out of trouble to set in motion a fine counter attack which involved Peters, Ball and Hunt but ended with Bobby Charlton shooting wide under pressure while Hurst stood unmarked to his left.
When Overath cut inside to send a shot wide it looked as though England must be home but a free kick given against Jack Charlton for climbing over Seeler offered the Germans one last chance.
With almost everyone inside the box the kick brought chaos. Emmerich sent in a drive that Cohen blocked, the ball fell for Held whose shot deflected away off his own teammate Schnellinger and fell kindly for Weber at the far post who squeezed the loose ball home ahead of the lunging Banks and Wilson.
Jesus.
1966 World Cup Final – Full Time: England 2 West Germany 2
The consolation was that England looked a stronger team going into extra time with Stiles, Charlton and Peters all still looking fresh and Ball apparently fitter than ever. This was in marked contrast to his marker Schnellinger who had his socks round his ankles and was seeking treatment for cramp at regular intervals. Ball continued to torment him.
Ball began extra time by storming forward on a 40 yard run to send in a drive which Tilkowski had to tip over. Then he went down the right to put over a centre which Peters laid off into the path of Charlton. From the edge of the box his shot rebounded to safety via the base of the post and the sprawling keepers’ face with Hurst lurking.
Hunt also sent a shot wide from outside the area as England dominated.
It needed a fortunate deflection away from Seeler after a strong run by Held to save England on one occasion but this was an increasingly rare German attack.
Ball was soon scampering down the right wing after a long ball forward by Stiles and he reached it by the corner flag to feed Hurst at the near post. Turning onto his right foot Hurst slammed in a rising drive of real power that smashed against the underside of the bar and came down in the vacinity of the goalline. Roger Hunt turned away with arms aloft as a German defender cleared.
There was confusion for several seconds before the referee went across to the nearside linesman who looked in no doubt whatsoever. The goal was given and England had the lead again.
There were few alarms in the second period of extra time with the Germans looking absolutely exhausted. Haller did manage one dangerous knock down that just eluded Seeler but in general England looked commanding at the back.
With only seconds remaining Bobby Moore again refused to panic near the corner flag and calmly brought the ball clear for England rather than kick it anywhere in the hope of eating up a few seconds. Instead he looked up, saw Hurst in space and sent a glorious pass into his stride.
Hurst was clear and he carried the ball into the box before hammering a shot into the roof of the net which went past Tilkowski in a blur. It was his hat trick goal and confirmed for certain that England were world champions.
Despite their sluggish start and the controversial nature of their third goal they were certainly worthy winners by the end.
1966 World Cup Final – Full Time (after extra time):
England 4 West Germany 2