The top ten players to feature at a World Cup the Three Lions.
Over the years England have produced some incredible talent that have gone on to perform well on the international stage. While some have had more success than others, all on this list can stake their own claim for being on it, and more importantly for being considered as a World Cup legend.
10. Peter Shilton – 1982, 86, 90
For a long time ‘Shilts’ was the record holder for caps gained over a long and illustrious career that spanned from the mid-60s to the late 90s. He kept the number one spot warm for three tournaments, and surely would have featured in more had the country made it to the top stage in the 1970s. Though he will always be remembered as the man beaten by the ‘Hand of God’ his overall contribution to the cause is highly commendable and he played a key role in England’s most exciting showing since ’66.
9. Michael Owen – 1998, 2004, 2006
Owen appeared at three tournaments during his career, but is best remembered for a single moment during his first outing rather than the limp contribution he made after the turn of the century. During a last 16 game with Argentina, an 18-year-old Owen exploded from his own half and weaved his way toward the opposition area at full pelt before unleashing an almighty howitzer into the top corner. It was a goal that should have been scored by a world class star at the top of his game, not some punk kid from Chester, but from that moment a legacy was born.
8. Paul Gascoigne – 1990
Gazza may have only appeared at one tournament, but from his resplendent performance against Holland in the group stage, to his tears at the semi final, the big from Newcastle encapsulated the joy, drama, passion and excitement from Italia 90 and kick started the revival in football’s fortunes back home. Criminally missed out in 1994 and tragically missed out of the tournament in France fours years later; it says a lot about his contribution on the basis of just one tournament.
7. Bobby Charlton – 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970
The first player in the list from the World Cup winners from ’66. That achievement would ordinarily be enough to warrant his inclusion anyway, but he also has the honourable distinction of being the country’s all time leading goalscorer with 49 goals. Originally selected for the side that travelled to the 1958 tournament, but didn’t kick a ball, but became a mainstay in the side shortly after thanks to regular hat tricks.
6. Gordon Banks – 1966, 1970
Banks is the second goalkeeper to make an appearance on the list, and rightly so. Like Charlton, he lifted the Jules Rimet trophy on home soil, but his most memorable moment came four years later when he pulled off a gravity defying save to stop a certain goal from Pele when the Three Lions met Brazil. Saw his international career tragically cut short in 1972 when he lost the sight in one eye thanks to a car crash, but enjoyed a short spell in the NASL towards the end of the decade.
5. Viv Anderson – 1982, 86
In 1982 Anderson became the first black player to pull on the Three Lions at the World Cup and did so at a time when racial and political tensions were at a height in the country. If England had been better he most likely would have broke the barrier four years earlier in Argentina, but though he only won 30 caps in his career he was deemed good enough to be included in the squad once again for the tournament in Mexico.
4. David Beckham – 1998, 2002, 2006
Becks went from hero to villain at France 98. After scoring a majestic free kick against Colombia in the group stages, he vilified himself by kicking out at Diego Simeone in the round of 16. However, like and legend he wasn’t down for long, and four years later he bagged the penalty that gave England a 1-0 win over the Argies in the group stages in Sapporo. A fitting conclusion for a man that dragged the country to the tournament by the scruff of its neck in the first place.
3. Geoff Hurst – 1966, 1970
The only man in World Cup history to score a hat trick in the final. Hurst’s record still stands 47 years after it was first set. He had originally been selected as a backup to Jimmy Greaves in ’66, but the Tottenham man’s injury problems kept him out of the side and allowed Hurst to feature comprehensively throughout the tournament. He found the net once again four years later in Mexico, but his international career failed to live up the the heights it had promised.
2. Gary Lineker – 1986, 1990
Lineker is, and remains, England’s top goalscorer at World Cup tournaments and in ’82 scored the second quickest hat trick in tournament history against Poland in the group stages. Two more goals against Paraguay and one more against Argentina saw him pick up the Golden Boot in Mexico. Four years later he was at it again as his four strikes took England to the semi-finals. He remains the country’s second highest goalscorer behind Bobby Charlton with 48 goals.
1. Bobby Moore – 1962, 1966, 1970
Captain and a true legend of the game, it was impossible not to admire Moore and his impressive sideburns. Made his tournament debut in ’62 as a late call up into squad and a year later he was already the captain. Four years later he was central to England’s victory and the sight of him on the shoulder’s of his teammates remains one of the most iconic images in the English game. In Mexico in 1970 he pulled off a stunning last-ditch tackle against Brazil and was a part of perhaps the second most iconic image in English football when he swapped shirts with Pele at the end.