Sir Geoff Hurst is the only footballer in history to score a World Cup final hat-trick. To mark his 80th birthday, he has chosen the 80 sportsmen who have most inspired and motivated him. Sir Geoff has an in-depth knowledge of all the major sports and his A to Z reflects this, running from Ali to Zidane. The book is filled with surprising facts.
Sir Geoff Hurst, MBE, was knighted in 1998 for his contributions to soccer, including his World Cup winning hat-trick for England against West Germany at Wembley in 1966. He enjoyed a season with the Seattle Sounders in the twilight of his career. In this brilliant new book, Sir Geoff risks controversy as he narrows down soccer's greats—from Maradona to Messi; Beckenbauer to Beckham; Pelé to Klinnsman—to a select fifty. Bringing many firsthand tales of former teammates and rivals, he gives his take on history's greatest players.
The Sunday Times bestsellerFOUR FOR ENGLAND. THREE FOR HURST.'Images of us celebrating have taken their place in the nation’s photo album. Trophy aloft, smiling into our future.Banksy, George, Jack, Mooro, Ray, Nobby, Bally, Bobby, Martin, Roger. My ten teammates. My old friends. They’ve now all gone. Heroes from an era that is slipping into sepia.'But it isn't all over. Not yet. One of them is still here, and before he goes, Geoff wanted to get down his final thoughts about 1966. He talks about Alf Ramsay - his vision, his drive, his loyalty. Also his shyness, even awkwardness. About his teammates, about Jimmy Greaves - hard workers, cool heads, dedicated pros. Geoff tells their collective story, digging below the surface, reflecting on their victory, its impact on their lives.It was a bittersweet onward journey for the Boys of '66. Their legacy was squandered and their team uncelebrated. But the eleven of them shared something that no other Englishman has ever experienced. Here Geoff brings them all together, one last time, to see them make history.
Set against the backdrop of a small town grappling with violence, the story follows Aaron, a Gulf War veteran returning home with deep emotional scars. As a sniper terrorizes the community, he is drawn into the investigation by local law enforcement. Torn between nostalgia and the harsh reality of his childhood friends’ potential involvement in the killings, Aaron must confront his past loyalties and reassess his perceptions of the people he once admired.
Half a century on from his Wembley hat-trick, England World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst risks controversy as he narrows down football_s finest to a select 50. § Which of his 1966 teammates have earned their place among the all-time greats? Would he have had Franz Beckenbauer in his XI ahead of Bobby Moore? What are his memories of playing against Pelé and Eusébio? And which England stars of later generations would Sir Geoff have loved to play alongside? § With first-hand tales of former teammates and rivals, along with tributes to those he_s admired from the terraces, Geoff Hurst_s Greats is essential reading for football fans of all ages.