THIS WEEK IN HISTORY July 30, 1966
'You've beaten them once. Now go out and do it again.' With those words, Sir Alf Ramsey earns himself a permanent place in English football's hall of fame.
Ramsey's simple but inspiring message is delivered to his deflated players after the full-time whistle in the 1966 World Cup final against West Germany before 97,000 near-hysterical fans at Wembley Stadium.
As the England team flopped to the Wembley turf after Wolfgang Weber's last-minute goal had made the score 2-2, Ramsey strides out purposefully to meet them. 'Look at them,' he insists, pointing at the German players. 'They're finished!'
The response from his players is immediate and overwhelming. Thirty-seven years on, every English soccer fan knows vividly what happened next. Geoff Hurst's two extra-time goals, the first controversially off the crossbar, the second as spectators start to invade the pitch when he completes his hat-trick - ensure lasting fame not only for the striker but for Ramsey, who was knighted the following year. Bobby Moore lifting the World Cup for the only time in the nation's history remains England's proudest sporting achievement.
Even before the tournament starts, Ramsey has proudly proclaimed that his side of 'wingless wonders' would win the World Cup. He has a reputation for being autocratic, never afraid of tough decisions - famously illustrated when he omits Jimmy Greaves, the most talented goal scorer of his generation, from his World Cup final lineup. West Ham striker Hurst vindicates the decision, becoming the only man to score a hat-trick in the final.
