FIFA World Cup History

England 1966 FIFA World Cup

Year: 1966

Participants: 16

Countries: Argentina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, England, France, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, North Korea, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Uruguay, USSR, West Germany

Championship: England 4, West Germany 2 (overtime)

Top goal scorer: Eusebio, Portugal (9)

In the eyes of English coach Alf Ramsey, his team already had beaten Germany once on the day of the 1966 World Cup final. What could be so hard about doing it again?

But England needed the benefit of the doubt on one of the most controversial goals in international soccer history to beat West Germany in overtime 4-2.

The Germans tied the game with 15 seconds left in regulation, prompting Ramsey's challenge to his team.

Eleven minutes into the extra period, Geoff Hurst's shot hit the crossbar and bounced down, apparently over the goal line. The Germans protested to no avail as linesman Tofik Bakhramov ruled in favor of the host nation in a goal still talked about today.

Later in overtime, Hurst added an insurance goal in the final minute and became the only player to score three goals in a championship game.

After the win, Ramsey was knighted for his team's success. . . .

Also in the 1966 tournament, North Korea had its two shining moments in international soccer history.

In a first-round game, the North Koreans played keepaway from the heavily favored Italians before Pak Doo-Ik scored the only goal of the game in the 41st minute. In one of the greatest upsets ever, North Korea sent Italy home early, where the Italian players were pelted with rotten tomatoes at the airport.

In the quarterfinals, North Korea gave heavily favored Portugal all it could handle and opened a 3-0 lead in the first half. But the great Eusebio responded by scoring four goals -- two on penalty kicks -- as the Portuguese won 5-3.