Engeland 1966 Retro Voetbal Jack

World Cup success on home soil represented the greatest footballing moment for the nation that invented the game. Manager Alf Ramsey's 'wingless wonders' were disliked by some for a pragmatic approach that favored substance over style, but Ramsey was merely aligning himself with the increasingly cautious nature of the world game at the time.

His World Cup winners boasted a strong central spine of Banks, Moore, Stiles, and Charlton and a particularly fine midfield: the energy of Ball and the vision of Peters complemented the bite of Nobby Stiles and the surging attacking runs of Bobby Charlton.

Jimmy Greaves was England's most talented striker, but when he picked up an injury in the group stages, Geoff Hurst was a more than capable substitute. The West Ham forward scored the winner in the Quarter Final against Argentina and a hat-trick in the Final, a game he was controversially retained for despite Greaves being fit again.