The 1966 FIFA World Cup final, held at Wembley Stadium, is etched in history as one of the most memorable football matches ever played. England defeated West Germany 4-2 after extra time, securing their first and only World Cup triumph.
While many fans remember Geoff Hurst’s legendary hat-trick or the controversial “Wembley Goal,” there are numerous lesser-known facts about this iconic match.
If you are familiar with any of the facts below, you might just do well in this really hard football quiz. Anyway, let’s get on with the main event itself at the only place to start any football match: a coin toss.
1. Shirt Colours Were Decided By Coin Toss
With both England and Germany traditionally playing in white shirts, a coin toss decided which nation was going to wear their change kit on the day. England lost the toss and therefore took to the pitch in their now legendary red kit.
2. Split Loyalties In The Banks’ Household
England’s goalkeeper Gordon Banks had met his West German wife, Ursula, whilst doing national service in 1955. Despite having split loyalties, she vowed to support her husband and his teammates on the day of the match, stating: “I shall be torn, but I’ll be rooting for England”.
3. England Players Actually Received Two Medals
The England team, of course, received their winners’ medals after winning the final, but there was another medal awarded to the eleven heroes on the day. Cissie Charlton, mother of stars Bobby and Jack, brought the ‘miraculous medals’ down to the final and handed them to the players. The medals were a gift from a group of nuns at a college in Durham.
4. Franz Beckenbauer Almost Missed The Final
The then-20-year-old German was a rising star of the game but almost missed the final. He’d been booked in his side’s group game against Argentina before receiving his 2nd caution of the tournament against USSR in the semi-final. This should’ve ruled ‘Der Kaiser’ out of the final, but FIFA decided to ignore the 2nd booking, claiming the yellow card was a case of mistaken identity.
5. Last Black And White World Cup Final Broadcast
By the time Mexico hosted the next World Cup in 1970, technology had progressed enough to show the full tournament in colour. The 1966 final was therefore the last to be broadcast live in black and white, but has since been colourised for a new audience to enjoy.
6. Swearing Was Not Allowed
Modern footballers might be known for their foul-mouthed triades directed at match officials, but in 1966, this behaviour was not going to be tolerated by Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst. Dienst was multilingual and said before kick-off that he was familiar with all the well-known English and German swearwords.
7. Not Everyone Heard Immortal Commentary Line
The final is famous for the immortal words of BBC commentator Kenneth Wolstenholme: “Some people are on the pitch, they think it’s all over, it is now!” However, ITV were also showing the match, so viewers watching on that channel would not have heard his famous line.
8. The Match Inspired A Postage Stamp
After England’s victory, the Royal Mail issued a commemorative stamp featuring Wembley Stadium and the England team. This small piece of memorabilia is now a prized collectable among football enthusiasts and philatelists alike.
9. Geoff Hurst Wore Special Boots
Hurst reportedly wore boots that were slightly heavier than usual, giving him more stability for shooting in wet conditions. Some football historians believe this contributed to the precision of his legendary hat-trick.
10. National Anthems Were Sung For Only The 2nd Time That Tournament
England sang the national anthem in their opening match of the 1966 World Cup against Uruguay, but would not sing God Save The Queen again until the final. The decision was made by the FA not to allow teams to sing their national anthems throughout the tournament, as the anthem of North Korea was not officially recognised by the Foreign Office.
