Jimmy Greaves, English Soccer Star, Is Dead at 81

Jimmy Greaves, English Soccer Star, Is Dead at 81

The New York Times-Sports·2021-09-24 06:01

Jimmy Greaves, one of the greatest goal scorers in English soccer, has died. He was 81.

Tottenham Hotspur, where he played for nine years, announced his death on Sunday but did not say where he died or cite the cause.

Greaves suffered a minor stroke in 2012. His family thought he had made a full recovery, but he had a more severe stroke in 2015.

An all-around striker as adept with his head as he was with either foot, Greaves scored 44 goals in just 57 matches for England.

But even though he was the first player to lead scoring in England’s top league for three straight seasons, he may be best known for one game he missed: the World Cup final.

Greaves was England’s star striker going into the 1966 tournament on home soil. But he was injured in a first-round match against France and surrendered his place in the lineup to Geoff Hurst.

Hurst scored the only goal in England’s quarterfinal win over Argentina and kept his place on the team at the expense of Greaves. Hurst earned lasting fame by scoring the first hat trick in a World Cup final; Greaves famously sat impassively on the bench as England celebrated their 4-2 win over West Germany at the final whistle.

Substitutions were not permitted at the time and squad members didn’t receive medals, as they have at World Cups since 1974. A campaign by fans led to the presentation of medals to Greaves and 10 other members of the squad, known as the “forgotten heroes,” in 2009. Greaves sold his 18-carat medal at auction in 2014 for £44,000 (about $60,000).

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