England 1966

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England 1966 World Cup Final
 
Coach: Alf Ramsey
Achievements: World Cup 1966
Key Players: B. Charlton, Moore, Banks, Peters, Ball, Stiles, Hurst
Star Player: Bobby Charlton
Formation: 4-4-2

There's not much to add that you probably don't already know about this widely celebrated team. England's finest hour; made all the brighter due to her relative lack of success in the years since. Alf Ramsey was a tactical revolutionary, inventing the 4-4-2 system and the hardworking, versatile midfield, which has since become a staple of the game since. Maybe England's association of that system with glory continues to hold back necessary evolution at times. But this team deserved to be remembered as fondly as it is: Gordon Banks - one of the finest goalkeepers of all time, Bobby Moore - majestic centre-back (one of the best ever) and noble leader, and Bobby Charlton - talismanic orchestrator and a fine ambassador for the game. And that's not to include Geoff Hurst, who remains the only man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup Final. The team was perhaps even better, with the addition of players, in 1970 but could not cope with the heat of Mexico and an ageing Charlton. They went out with some memorable performances against Brazil and West Germany that live long in the memory.