AS EACH NEW WORLD CUP APPROACHES, I always turn my mind back to July 30, 1966, and the day that changed my life forever. At the turn of that year, I hadn't really considered being in manager Alf Ramsey's World Cup squad for England, but there I was.
Jimmy Greaves, the most famous, and greatest, goal scorer of all time for my country had been injured in the last group stage game against France a few weeks earlier. So, I came into the team and did pretty well. But on the eve of the final, Jimmy was probably fit again and I'm not sure that I was expecting to play the following day.
It's easy to forget that in 1966 there were no substitutes and, therefore, whoever got selected to play in the game was going to be there for all of it. I didn't know for sure until the eve of the game that I was in the team, and it's hard now to conjure the memory of how exciting it was to be playing for my country in the World Cup final against West Germany because it was so long ago.
I'm often asked if I felt much pressure on the day and I can honestly say the answer is: not really. There wasn't as much furor in 1966, although the game became the most-watched broadcast ever on British television with 32 million people tuning in.
I was very young, just 24 years old, and, consequently, I didn't find it particularly daunting to be playing on such a monumental occasion. I guess I had earned my place by scoring a couple of goals en route to the final.
Walking up that tunnel, on that massive day for English football, I remember feeling excited to be playing.
Scoring that Iconic Hat Trick
Denne historien er fra December 02 - 09, 2022 (Double Issue)-utgaven av Newsweek US.
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Denne historien er fra December 02 - 09, 2022 (Double Issue)-utgaven av Newsweek US.
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