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1966 WORLD CUP
ENGLAND
7/11/1966 -7/30/1966
England won their first and only World Cup title, defeating West Germany 4-2 in the final after extra time at Wembley Stadium. The match featured a controversial 'goal' by Geoff Hurst, which was awarded after the ball struck the crossbar and bounced down—whether it crossed the line remains debated. This was the first World Cup to have an official mascot, 'World Cup Willie', a lion. It also introduced red and yellow cards for the first time, and substitutions were allowed for any reason (not just injury). Eusébio of Portugal was the tournament's standout player, scoring 9 goals, including four in a 5-3 quarterfinal win over North Korea.
TOURNAMENT LEGACY
England won their first and only World Cup title, defeating West Germany 4-2 in the final after extra time at Wembley Stadium. The match featured a controversial 'goal' by Geoff Hurst, which was awarded after the ball struck the crossbar and bounced down—whether it crossed the line remains debated. This was the first World Cup to have an official mascot, 'World Cup Willie', a lion. It also introduced red and yellow cards for the first time, and substitutions were allowed for any reason (not just injury). Eusébio of Portugal was the tournament's standout player, scoring 9 goals, including four in a 5-3 quarterfinal win over North Korea.
TOURNAMENT HIGHLIGHTS
Memorable Moments & Key Information
England won their first and only World Cup title, defeating West Germany 4-2 in the final after extra time at Wembley Stadium. The match featured a controversial 'goal' by Geoff Hurst, which was awarded after the ball struck the crossbar and bounced down—whether it crossed the line remains debated. This was the first World Cup to have an official mascot, 'World Cup Willie', a lion. It also introduced red and yellow cards for the first time, and substitutions were allowed for any reason (not just injury). Eusébio of Portugal was the tournament's standout player, scoring 9 goals, including four in a 5-3 quarterfinal win over North Korea.
Main Venues
Wembley Stadium
Old Trafford
Villa Park
Goodison Park
Hillsborough Stadium
Roker Park
Ayresome Park
White Hart Lane
Tournament Information
Mascot:World Cup Willie (a lion)
Start Date:7/11/1966
End Date:7/30/1966
1966
Winner
England
Second Place
West Germany
Third Place
Portugal
16
TEAMS
89
TOTAL GOALS
32
TOTAL MATCHES
1,563,135
TOTAL ATTENDANCE
2.78
GOALS PER MATCH
Top Scorer
9
Eusébio
Portugal