MNF analysis of why Alan Ball was the star of the 1966 World Cup final
Saturday 30 July 2016 08:17, UK
Sir Geoff Hurst was the hero of the 1966 World Cup final but, with the game going under the Monday Night Football microscope, find out why Alan Ball was so vital...
"Ask any of the players that day who was their man of the match and they would all say Bally." - Sir Geoff Hurst
Hurst was the hat-trick hero of England's 4-2 win over West Germany in the 1966 World Cup final but the performance of the team's youngest player will never be forgotten. Alan Ball, 21, produced an energetic display throughout the 120 minutes to help England lift the Jules Rimet Trophy.
With the 1966 World Cup final given the Monday Night Football treatment by Jamie Carragher and Ed Chamberlin, the brilliance of Ball's performance becomes even more apparent.
Ball's assist for Hurst's controversial second goal was one of six chances that he created in the game and it was also his run in the final moments that bought the striker the time he needed to complete his hat-trick.
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"This means the German defender is not sure," Carragher told Monday Night Football. "Does he stay or does he go with Alan Ball? Because of that run by Alan Ball, it means Sir Geoff Hurst has now got the time and the space."
Ball ranked among the top five players on the pitch for chances created, dribbles, successful passes and shots on target. Not bad given that, as Carragher pointed out, this was a match that included players of the calibre of Sir Bobby Charlton and Franz Beckenbauer.
"He was outstanding," added Carragher. "This is a young player who was actually playing for Blackpool at the time of the final. He was playing tucked in on the right, but he was more of a central-midfield player.
"It was the running power of a player like that. He was 21 years old and we even saw him on the left-hand side. Maybe that was his job - to create a bit of width wherever it may be. He wasn't just a midfield player who excelled at going forwards. He did everything."
The Boys of '66 and the accompanying Monday Night Football special are available On Demand until 2017
