--- title: 1966 World Cup: Rare Photos From the Year England Won It All description: Photographic gems from one of the greatest-ever World Cups: the 1966 tournament when England won it all, on English soil. canonical: https://time.com/3879960/1966-world-cup-rare-photos-from-year-england-won-it-all/ author: Ben Cosgrove article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2014-05-27T19:38:10.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T05:03:41.541Z og:title: 1966 World Cup: Rare Photos From the Year England Won It All og:description: Photographic gems from one of the greatest-ever World Cups: the 1966 tournament when England won it all, on English soil. og:url: https://time.com/3879960/1966-world-cup-rare-photos-from-year-england-won-it-all/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt60232bafb4677477/6987f0fea988ca052f6b0c90/ugc1052311.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1024 og:image:height: 576 og:image:alt: Bobby Moore, 1966 og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: 1966 World Cup: Rare Photos From the Year England Won It All twitter:description: Photographic gems from one of the greatest-ever World Cups: the 1966 tournament when England won it all, on English soil. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt60232bafb4677477/6987f0fea988ca052f6b0c90/ugc1052311.jpg?branch=production&width=1024&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # The 1966 World Cup: When Britannia Ruled the Pitch > Sponsored content. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. by [Ben Cosgrove](https://time.com/author/ben-cosgrove/) ## Ben Cosgrove May 27, 2014 7:38 PM UTC  Not published in LIFE. Bobby Moore raises the World Cup trophy, July 30, 1966, after England defeated Germany, 4-2, in the final before 98,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, London. Not published in LIFE. Bobby Moore raises the World Cup trophy, July 30, 1966, after England defeated Germany, 4-2, in the final before 98,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, London. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images by [Ben Cosgrove](https://time.com/author/ben-cosgrove/) ## Ben Cosgrove May 27, 2014 7:38 PM UTC With another [World Cup](http://soccer.si.com/soccer/planet-futbol) upon us, LIFE.com journeyed into LIFE magazine’s archives in search of a way to celebrate the happy pandemic of what might be characterized as _fútbol delirium_ now affecting billions around the globe — and discovered some photographic gems from one of the greatest-ever World Cups: the 1966 tourney when England won it all, on English soil. The pictures we found, made by the late Art Rickerby, never ran in LIFE magazine, but they provide a unique look at the planet’s greatest sporting event during a fascinating period in its history. We also chatted with [Alexi Lalas](https://twitter.com/AlexiLalas) about the photos, and got some insights from a former pro footballer on the profound appeal of the “beautiful game.” Not all of Rickerby’s photos from England in the summer of ’66, however, were of official World Cup matches. In fact, some of his best, most revealing work captured moments far from the sold-out stadiums in London, Sheffield, Manchester or Birmingham. “Look at that shot,” Lalas says of English kids riveted by Brazil’s goalkeeper, Gilmar, leaping to block a shot during practice in Liverpool (slide #2). “There’s no way those kids ever forgot watching those players, that close. Their body language shows how thrilled they are. And no wonder! There’s something about watching practice sessions that’s totally different — and better, in a way — than watching a big game. I remember training at Oakland University in Michigan before the World Cup in ’94\. The fans who came out to watch us might remember that experience more fondly than watching the game we played in the Silverdome in Pontiac. There’s a reason baseball fans go to batting practice and spring training — the chance of a real, authentic interaction with the players, away from the hoopla around a game.” Of the third photo in the gallery, of Pelé in Liverpool, Lalas notes that the picture “really got me thinking about the aesthetics of the sport, and it’s a reminder of one attribute shared by most soccer players that helps explain why so many people adore the game. Namely — these guys are not huge. They’re not giants. They look, in a way, like you and me, and that guy sitting across the aisle on the train, or wherever. In Pelé’s case, you have probably the single most famous athlete on the planet at the time — but he’s not a seven-foot-tall basketball player, or a 300-pound defensive end. Still, seeing him here, there’s no question you’re looking at an athlete. The way he carries himself, his undeniable presence. Despite his unimposing stature, you can just sense his physical power.” _Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is the Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter_ [_@lizabethronk_](https://twitter.com/LizabethRonk)_._  Not published in LIFE. Bobby Moore raises the World Cup trophy, July 30, 1966, after England defeated Germany, 4-2, in the final before 98,000 fans at Wembley Stadium, London. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Brazil's goalkeeper, Gilmar, leaps to block a shot during World Cup practice in Liverpool, 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Brazil great Pelé enters the stadium in Liverpool, 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. British soccer fans, 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Fans welcome the Brazil squad to the stadium, Liverpool, 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Pelé is tackled during Brazil's 2-0 win over Bulgaria, England, 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. English fans happily swarm around the Brazilian squad's bus, 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. World Cup, 1966, England. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Wembley Stadium, World Cup, 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. England scores, World Cup, 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. "If I could bottle the feeling that comes with scoring a goal in a big match," says Alexi Lalas, "future generations of my family would never have to work another day in their lives." Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Jack Charlton slides hard against West Germany, World Cup, 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. England's George Cohen vies with Argentina's Silvio Marzolini during a World Cup quarterfinal match, 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. World Cup final, England vs. West Germany, July 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Fans, World Cup, England, July 1966. Art Rickerby—Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images  Not published in LIFE. Players and coaches celebrate on the pitch at Wembley after England's 4-2 victory over West Germany, July 30, 1966. 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