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England’s legendary footballer George Eastham, who was a part of the FIFA World Cup 1966 winning team, passed away at 88 years of age as announced by the official X account of the English football team. Although George Eastham didn’t get the chance to play in any of the matches during the World Cup triumph of England over 58 years ago under manager Sir Alf Ramsey, he did make 19 international appearances throughout the course of his career.
The last international appearance of George Eastham’s international career came prior to the FIFA World Cup 1966 victory, during a 2-0 win for England against Denmark in a friendly. The Blackpool-born footballer was also an unused squad member of England in their FIFA World Cup 1962 campaign, and shortly after, earned his first international cap in a FA Centenary match against Brazil at the Wembley Stadium in 1963.
George Eastham received FIFA World Cup winners' medal in 2009; over 40 years after earning it
As per the report from the BBC Sport, George Eastham didn’t receive the FIFA World Cup winners’ medal in 1966, since it was given to the 11 starting players of England against Germany in the final. But, after a campaign, he, the other squad members of England, and manager Sir Alf Ramsey were given the medals for their World Cup triumph in 2009.
In club football, George Eastham made 207 appearances for Arsenal during the prime years of his career, while his stints with Stoke City and Newcastle United were quite fruitful too, scoring the winner for the latter in the League Cup final in 1972. Following his 75 goals in 536 matches in club football, he went onto manage Stoke City in 1977 and 1978, just five years after being awarded the OBE for his services to football.
Stoke City are going to wear the black armbands for their “club legend” during their upcoming game against Sheffield Wednesday later today, while planning to pay him a fitting tribute in their next home game against Leeds United on boxing day.
