Will It Come Home Again?

With the 2022 World Cup in Qatar about to go underway, it can not be helped but to look back to the 2018 World Cup in Russia. This was the first time in decades the whole of England felt like the trophy could be in touching distance again. Gareth Southgate’s Lions done the unthinkable and made it to the final four, with an early goal from Trippier in the 5^th minute of the game the countries spirits were high. But sadly this wasn’t to last, Croatia won in extra time finishing our World Cup dreams that year with a 2-1 loss and 4^th place in the tournament.[1]

 

To remember what it was like for England to win, you’ve got to go back to the summer of 1966, July 11^th until July 30^th, Not only did the English Lions get to lift the trophy at the end, it was on home ground at none other than Wembley Stadium.

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The stage was set from the start with the games themselves being declared open by her majesty, Queen Elizabeth II herself.[3] The World Cup had already been broadcasted to television since 1954, and with the bettering economy in England after World War 2, it meant that a lot of homes across the country could watch from the comfort of their own homes in 1966.[4] It was an eventful tournament from the offset, North Korea qualified for their first World Cup as extreme underdogs, Playing most of their games in Middlesbrough’s Ayresome Park, the Asian side became idolized by the locals after passing through the group stage with by beating the two-time world champions Italy.[5]

England’s final test of the event was the final against West Germany in Wembley Stadium on Saturday the 30^th of July, the game was filled with highs, lows and controversy, what more could you want from a World Cup final? With 96,924 in attendance at Wembley and an estimated 32.3 million Brits watching or listening to the broadcast and a further 400 million people globally[6] it was going to be heard around the world. West Germany got on the board first in the 12^th minute, with a goal from Haller, it was answered 6 minutes later by Geoff Hurst in the 18^th minute to make it 1-1. The game remained tied until the second half when Martin Peters scored in the 78^th minute. Against all, the Germans rallied and equalised in the 89^th, sending the game to overtime 2-2.

Going into overtime, every fan’s worse nightmare, but the Lions were ready. Probably the most controversial goal and call in World Cup history, Hursts 2^nd goal making it 3-2, bouncing off the crossbar and onto the goal line.

The controversial goal itself.

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Finally, in the 120^th minute Hurst scores his third goal to seal the deal, also making him the only player in FIFA history to score a hattrick in a World Cup final. Then at last, it finally came home, will 2022 be a repeat?

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[1] “2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™.” 2022. His Highness the Amir and FIFA President Visit Doha Exhibition Centre. FIFA. Accessed November 1. https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/2018russia.

[2] World Cup Poster 1966. 2022. FIFA. FIFA. Accessed November 1, 2022. https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/1966england.

[3] What Made England so '66? FIFATV. Accessed November 1, 2022. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5qB6PXQ06k

[4] Chisari, F. “When Football Went Global: Televising the 1966 World Cup.” Historical Social Research 31, no. 1: 42–54. Accessed November 1, 2022. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20762101.

[5] BBC Sport, ‘The Story of the 1966 World Cup’ 16 May 2014 https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/football/27392991 Accessed November 1, 2022

[6] Chisari, F. “When Football Went Global: Televising the 1966 World Cup.” Historical Social Research 31, no. 1: 42–54. Accessed November 1, 2022. https://www.jstor.org/stable/20762101.

[7] Panther, L. “England's 1966 Heroes Reunited at Wembley on World Cup Triumph's 50th Anniversary.” Mirror, July 30, 2016. https://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/news/englands-1966-heroes-reunited-wembley-8530654.