1966 World Cup Final England v West Germany

[ElectroClaret]

Being shown in full today on Channel Four at 1.30.

Should be popular north of the border....
Or do they have a different schedule up there?

[IanMcL]

Anyone got a bet on?

[ClaretLoup]

Where was everyone when this game was played?

As a 12 year old I was on holiday with my parents in a hotel in Dubrovnik in Tito's Communist Yugoslavia. We had a black and white tele set up in one of the lounges with the Germans on one side of the room & with English fans on the other. The staff understandably all wanted England to win. Very atmospheric but all good natured as I recollect.

[Billy Balfour]

Don't look this game up on Google - there are too many spoilers that will tell you the result.

[summitclaret]

Don't look this game up on Google - there are too many spoilers that will tell you the result.

But that was before VAR.

[Billy Balfour]

But that was before VAR.

Heh. Appen a good job.

[International class]

I was 9 at the time and my best mate Ian ask me if I wanted to go with him to see Dr Who at the pictures.

Luckily I said no and watched the match on the TV with my dad. Thank god I did as it’ll probably only be the one time we win it in my lifetime.

[Silkyskills1]

Just about a repeat of the '62 Cup Final for me. Sat in front of our black and white TV with my brother, curtains closed and worried each time West Germany got the ball. The pitch was a mess at the end of the game.

[Bfc]

I was at the match.

[Steve-Harpers-perm]

I was at the match.

My dad was also at the final! We were on the way back from Palace a few seasons ago on the train and got chatting to some Fleetwood fans and somehow we got onto England games and my dad said he was at the World Cup Final. He became like a cult hero amongst them!

[ElectroClaret]

I'd forgotten it was in black and white.

[groove]

I thought it was all over.

[Pimlico_Claret]

6 months old me, so I don't remember sadly.

[FactualFrank]

-14. I finally feel young for once!

[Vino blanco]

I don't think I've ever heard the ITV commentary by Hugh Johns before, much better than Wolstenholme.

[Rowls]

I was 9 at the time and my best mate Ian ask me if I wanted to go with him to see Dr Who at the pictures.
Luckily I said no and watched the match on the TV with my dad. Thank god I did as it’ll probably only be the one time we win it in my lifetime.

I really like Dr Who but ... in the name of Bob Lord! There's a time and a place isn't there!

[JohnMac]

I'd forgotten it was in black and white.

England were in Red & White it was only the Germans in Black and White

[Baliclaret]

I too was at the match, practically on line with the infamous Russian linesman. 54 years ago !
Remember seeing the match in a film called "Goal " many years ago in colour.This is the first time I've seen the whole game since July 66.

Surprised not to see Bobby Charlton featured in this programme alongside Hurst and Cohen.

[Vino blanco]

I just heard the crowd singing:

Oh my what a referee, what a referee, what a referee ,
Oh my what a referee,
Coz his little wooden whistle wouldn't whistle.

That is a real blast from the past, I don't think I've heard that since this final!!

[ElectroClaret]

The pitch is cutting up like Blackpool's used to be a while ago.

[Woodleyclaret]

Never saw the final live but me and mates saw West Germany v USSR at Goodison in the semis
We paid for tickets to watch England but the fixtures were switched.
We saw some legendary players in our games though including Lev Yashin,Albert.Eusabio.Pele and Uwe Seeler

[Malvern claret]

Was at the final behind the goal where the fourth goal was scored. I guess I was on the same deal as Woodley claret having seen all those famous players at Old Trafford and Goodison. I left the Portugal v Korea quarterfinal expecting to be watching the England Portugal semi a few days later only to find out the games had been switched when David Coleman announced later that night. The reason given was that ‘more people would be able to watch at Wembley’. I was annoyed but felt worse for all those Portuguese fans who had bought tickets to watch their team at Goodson.

[daveyclaret]

I was aged 15 during the 1966 World Cup. I watched almost all the games that were televised which included all England games.

Quite a few memories from the tournament not just from the Final:

-Pele getting kicked all over in the the Group matches and effectively getting clogged out of the tournament. In one of the games, he was injured from a crude tackle, got strapped up but was no more than a passenger for that game.

- Eusabio of Portugal was the star man of the tournament. Remember the Portugal v North Korea game at Everton's ground. Korea went 3-0 up then Eusabio turned it on and Portugal won 5-3. Eusabio scored in the game but I can't remember how many he got.

-Beckenbauer was a young man at that tournament. He played in midfield for West Germany and looked an outstanding prospect as he proved to be in his career. Remember one game where he had his hand strapped to his chest though injury and he scored a goal after running with the ball and then hitting a low shot into the corner of the net from about 20 yards. I think the opponents were Switzerland.

- Middlesbrough's Ayresome Park had a Group game. I seem to recall that one of the teams who played there was North Korea. Many years later when Middlesbrough moved from Ayresome Park to Riverside Stadium and Ayresome Park was subsequently demolished to make a housing estate, a plaque was put up on the estate to show where the centre spot was for that Group game.

- Watched the Final on black & white television. The game was a Saturday afternoon and after the game with extra time had finished, I went outside on the street to celebrate but the street was empty there wasn't a soul around. At the time, I didn't think that the prestige of winning the World Cup was a big issue, certainly not compared with what winning the World Cup means at the present time.

I thought that the team and squad that England sent to Mexico as a World Cup winners in 1970 was better that the 1996 team and squad and really felt that they could win the World Cup again. As many on here will remember, England lost in the quarters to West Germany, 3-2, after being 2-0 up. I was disappointed with that result and with Ralph Coates not making the final cut for the England squad and so not playing in the tournament.

[Top Claret]

I was 6 years old on WCF day in 1966 the day before my 7th birthday. I watched the game through the window of a TV rental shop on Wembley High Street with my Mum and Sister. My Dad and Gt Uncle were at the final in the stadium.

My dad felt so guilty that he didn't take me, he took me back to Wembley for the Spurs v Chelsea cup final in 67

[Woodleyclaret]

The game when Pele was kicked off the park was v Hungary
Albert scored an absolute screamer and Brazil couldn't handle the Mighty Magyars who scored three
It was an evil night with torrential rain
We were on Goodison again to watch Portugal v N.Korea.
Korea were 3 up at half time then the Portuguese with Eusabio turned on the style scoring 5

[Silkyskills1]

The game when Pele was kicked off the park was v Hungary
Albert scored an absolute screamer and Brazil couldn't handle the Mighty Magyars who scored three
It was an evil night with torrential rain
We were on Goodison again to watch Portugal v N.Korea.
Korea were 3 up at half time then the Portuguese with Eusabio turned on the style scoring 5

The Hungary game was Brazil's second in the group,having beaten Bulgaria in their opening fixture at Old Trafford. As you say Hungary played well.that night with Florian Albert imperious. Their second goal from Rakosi was a stunner.Brazil's final game was against Portugal and it was them that laid into Pele and finished him off. I recall one challenge where he was kicked up in the air and then kicked again before he landed. Portugal finished off what the Hungarians.may have started.

[Down_Rover]

I watched the game on tv as a 9yo in 1966

Watched it for the second time today. No diving, no cheating the referee and no time wasting. Those were the days, the game flowed and was the sporting spectacle it should have been

[ecc]

Still think that Hurst's third is one of the best goals scored in a World Cup Final but tends to get overlooked.

[Tribesmen]

Can't remember who it was but someone on here said that " we never talk about the 1966 " just want to say that .

Thanks .

[Funkydrummer]

I was 14 and watched it at home with my dad. I remember chucking a cushion at my dad when the 4th
goal went in.

Normally I would have got a clip for that, but he let it go and nothing was said !!!

[ElectroClaret]

Brazil's final game was against Portugal and it was them that laid into Pele and finished him off. I recall one challenge where he was kicked up in the air and then kicked again before he landed. Portugal finished off what the Hungarians.may have started.

Yes, I think it was Joao Morais who kicked Pele that way, a real thug.

[tiger76]

The game when Pele was kicked off the park was v Hungary
Albert scored an absolute screamer and Brazil couldn't handle the Mighty Magyars who scored three
It was an evil night with torrential rain
We were on Goodison again to watch Portugal v N.Korea.
Korea were 3 up at half time then the Portuguese with Eusabio turned on the style scoring 5

North Korea were the surprise packet of that tournament, there's usually one every time, and 66 was their stage to impress, they dumped Italy out in the group stage, and were flying against the Portuguese, before Eusebio came to the party, notching a mere 4 goals.

I always thought it was 3-0 at HT, but apparently not, it was 3-0 after 25 minutes, and then Portugal turned it on, with the help of 2 pens it must be said.

[Silkyskills1]

I remember Pak Doo Ok was one of their goalscorers. The game was played at the same time as England v Argentina and I couldn't believe the score being flashed up ; 1,2 then 3-0 up before half an hour had been played.

Edit: Pak Doo Ik

[Cirrus_Minor]

I watched this as a 10 year old with my dad. The game always reminds me of dad, I watched it with a tear or two at the end because of this.

[Im_not_Robbie_Blake]

I saw it through the window of a TV shop in Frodsham. Lots of TVs and lots of people! I was 13. We had been on holiday to Wales and couldn't get home in time so dad headed to the nearest high street at kick-off time.

[Bfc]

I was also at the N Korea v Portugal game. My recollection is the speed and energy of N/K caught the Portuguese players off guard. Torres at 6ft 4 was the player they couldn’t handle, later in the game, as all their players appeared to be under 6ft.
The game was expectedly going to be one sided, which is it was for 35 mins. But a bit of luck and the power of Eusebio, against a team that were nieve in the knowledge of slowing the game down and holding onto their lead, while getting their breath back, didn’t enter their heads.
One thing they did do, was win the hearts of everyone lucky enough to have witnessed the game, for effort and honest endeavour and which was nearly the upset of the tournament.

[lesxdp]

I believe I was in the Bowling Alley on Finsley Gate but they had a TV on.

[jurek]

I was 15 at the time and watched it at home on a smallish black and white telly.

It certainly was a game/result to remember albeit can't recall much post match.

Watching it again on Sunday was surprised at the number of poor shots from
both teams and the fact that there were no substitutes.
Still not sure our third was over the line but hey, we won it with a cracker from Hurst.
Wasn't keen on the on-screen interviews with those players still alive.
But still a memory stirring game to watch after all these years.

Is it really that long since England got into a major final?
Are we likely to ever get into another final and/or win it?

They better do it in the next 10 or so years otherwise I might not be around to witness it.

[longsidetrumpet]

Watched the final in the window of a TV shop in Ambleside while youth hostelling with leviclaret, among others. We had beds booked at Grasmere youth hostel and had to be there by 5pm or we’d lose the booking. So we jumped in the bus, missed extra time, and arrived to the news we’d won

[Lord_Bob]

Watched it at home in black and white.

N. Korea earned me a nickname as I was a small 10 y.o. at the time so the lads that played footy every night at Laneshawbridge Rec. instantly named me Hong Bong Jin as I played on the wing (as much as you can play a position in rec footy) - or Hongy for short. Stuck for a few years that name.

[LordBob]

I was 12 yrs and 10 months old and even then Claret mad, on my 3rd season ticket come August and when Weber scored the equaliser in the last minute I experienced a feeling so sickening I hoped it would never happen again ha ha but I'm a Claret its happening all of the time UTC

[Malvern claret]

In this time of lockdown it has been great to join in these conversations. I remember thinking how lucky we were with the games that were in the north west, Portugal and Hungary were good to watch and, although Brazil were not as good as usual, it gave the opportunity to watch Pele in the flesh. Then there was the unexpected bonus of North Korea in the quarter final, the only disappointment was the switching of the semi finals. I wonder what the reaction would be if these days the host nation decided to switch venues to favour their team after the tickets had already been sold!

As has already been posted Brazil started with a 2 0 win over Bulgaria. The goals were scored by Pele and Garrincha(from a free kick). It was the last time the two of them played together and I was told that Brazil never lost a match in which they both played. The Bulgarians handed out some rough treatment on Pele and he was not fit enough to play against Hungary.
In the second match Albert was brilliant, as stated earlier but did not score. At the time I thought it was the best individual performance I had ever seen (but Eusebio was even better a few days later.) Bene scored the first goal, right in front of where I was stood after e few minutes. Farkas scored a brilliant volley from an Albert cross before Meszoly ( I think) scored a late penalty. Pele returned for the final game but it was a desperate move from the manager as Brazil needed a big win, there were wholesale changes to the team. Pele was just not fit but it was indeed Morais who ‘assaulted’ him, it was a great pity really as Portugal could have won without resorting to thuggery.

[Silkyskills1]

My memory letting me down again. Indeed it was Farkas that scored the volley to put Hungary 2-1 up and not left winger, Rakosi, as I suggested. I think that game was a brief reminder of the Hungary of a decade earlier but they didn't manage to follow it up really.
Never realised Garrincha and Pele didn't play together after the Bulgaria game but Pele was definetly targeted and kicked out of the tournament by the Portuguese. That was two World Cups he essentially missed as he was injured in '62 where Amarillo took his place.
There were some strange rules still around in' 66 along with the switching of the semi final. A group game between France and Mexico? was moved from Wembley to be played at White City because there was greyhound racing scheduled for Wembley the same evening.

[Madpete]

Watched on the box at my girlfriends still remembered after all this time one thing that has never left me.As the game moved to 90 mins.Jack Charlton,towering over his opponent,headed the ball away & the ref.gave a foul that West Germany eventually scored from.It was not a foul in 1966 & it’s not a foul today! But how boring to only win 2-1 in ordinary time & how dramatic to win in extra time.Can’t understand the fuss about the disputed goal as we would have won 3-2 if it would have been disallowed.
Even allowing the fifty years plus that have elapsed it’s still an end to end cracker with some really good football.