Craziest World Cup moments 7: Geoff Hurst's ghost goal | OneFootball

Sometimes, to win a World Cup, you need a bit luck.

With England drawing 2-2 in the final, on home soil, of the 1966 World Cup, Geoff Hurst spun and shot past West German goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski.

What followed is still being debated to this day.

It looked initially, as if it didn’t cross the line – but with the Three Lions players celebrating, referee Gottfried Dienst went over to his ‘Russian’ linesman to check.

It didn’t matter that he was actually from Azerbaijan, but with the nod of his head Tofiq Bahramov allowed the goal and the tide swung in England’s favour.

They’d go on to win 4-2, with Alf Ramsey and co lifting the country’s first, and so far, only World Cup trophy.

So indelibly marked on the nation’s psyche was the goal, that 50 years later, when the brand new Wembley was being built, a petition was made to call the walkway heading towards the stadium ‘Tofiq Bahramov Bridge’.

That ultimately never happened, but England still remembers “the Russian linesman” and how he helped England win the World Cup.