Gordon Banks, the goalkeeper of the England 1966 World Cup winning team, died at the age of 81 on Monday night, his family said.
Gordon Banks , the goalkeeper of the team victorious England the 1966 World Cup,has died at the age of 81 on the night of Monday to Tuesday, his family said on the website of Stoke City, his old club.
His save from the shot from the head of Pelé at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico is considered by the British media as the turn of the century.
He was named FIFA’s Goalkeeper of the Year six years in a row from 1966 to 1971.
“It is with great sadness that we announce that Gordon died peacefully in the night,” wrote his family in the statement, saying both “upset” and “proud” of him.
73 selections
According to several British media, the world champion suffered from kidney cancer since December 2015.
Banks took part in England’s victory over Germany in the 1966 World Cup final in London, 4-2.
The international career of the goalkeeper selected 73 times with England stopped abruptly in 1972 at 33, when he had lost the sight of his right eye, following a car accident.
In the club, the goalkeeper spent most of his career in Leicester (1959-1967) and Stoke City (1967-1973) before retiring from professional football the summer following his accident.
Banks of England
“Banks of England”, as he was nicknamed, was considered one of the greatest goalkeepers in the world, of the caliber of his legendary contemporaries, the Soviet Lev Yashin and the Italian Dino Zoff.
Legendary player Leicester and England, Gary Lineker, now presenter at the BBC, was one of the first to react. ” Oh no. Gordon Banks, one of my absolute heroes, and many others, is dead. The winner of the World Cup in England was one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, and such a charming, so charming man #RIPGordon, “tweeted the former striker.
For its part, Leicester City said “deeply sad”.
