| Name |
Geoff Hurst |
| Height |
|
| Naionality |
English |
| Date of Birth |
8-December-1941 |
| Place of Birth |
Ashton-under-Lyne, England |
| Famous for |
Football Player |
Geoff Hurst is a retired England footballer best remembered for making his mark in history as the only player to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. His three goals came in the 1966 final for England in their 4–2 win (2-2 at full time) over West Germany at the old Wembley. Such an achievement was made all the more remarkable by the fact that he was only five months and eight games into his international career, and was not considered his country's premier centre forward.
Hurst settled into international football quickly but as the World Cup approached, it seemed clear that his inclusion in Ramsey's squad of 22 would merely be as a different option to the first choice partnership of Jimmy Greaves and Roger Hunt. Greaves and Hunt were indeed picked for the three group games against Uruguay, Mexico and France, but in the latter game, Greaves suffered a deep gash to his leg which required stitches, and Hurst was called up to take his place in the quarter final against Argentina. With Captain Bobby Moore and young midfielder Martin Peters already in the side, it completed a trio of West Ham players selected by Ramsey at this most crucial stage of the competition. Argentina were talented but preferred a tougher approach to the game, which saw them reduced to ten men. The game was still tightly contested as it entered its final 15 minutes, but then Peters swung over a curling cross from the left flank and Hurst, anticipating his clubmate's thinking, got in front of his marker to glance a near post header past the Argentine keeper. England won 1–0 and was in the semifinals.
Greaves was not fit for the game against Portugal so Hurst and Hunt continued up front, and England won 2–1 thanks to a brace from Bobby Charlton, the second of which was set up by Hurst. As the final against the Germans approached, the media learnt of Greaves' return to fitness and, while appreciating Hurst's contribution, started to call for the return of England's most prolific centre forward. Hurst continued to play and score for England, and although he won no further honours with West Ham or England in the 1960s he still maintained his England place for much of the period; for the 2–3 seasons immediately after 1966 he was an internationally renowned striker and goalscorer.
Hurst was named in the Ramsey squad which played in Mexico to defend the World Cup in 1970. He scored the only goal of England's opening game against Romania as England progressed to the quarter finals, where once again they faced West Germany. Hurst played a part in a goal for Peters who put England 2–0 up, but the Germans forced their way back and won 3–2 after extra time. His England career ended the same year with yet another game against West Germany, in the qualification stages for the 1972 European Championships, which England lost. He had won 49 caps and scored 24 goals, currently putting him 11th in the all-time England scorers' list.
