Football's Coming Home: How England Won The 1966 World Cup | Part Three

To listen to the full four-part series instantly, subscribe to our Patreon where listeners can enjoy ad-free listening, our World Cup Wednesdays, bonus editions and live Q&A episodes.Rob Draper and Jonathan Wilson continue their series on how England won the 1966 World Cup by focusing on the quarter-final against Argentina, presented as the tournament’s key and most controversial test. They explain Alf Ramsey’s tactical preparation, including hiding his 4-1-3-2 “wingless” system and replacing the injured Jimmy Greaves with the more aerially suited Geoff Hurst. The episode traces Ramsey’s lessons from England’s 1964 South American trip, where Argentina’s pragmatic defensive approach and man-marking shaped his thinking, then sets the fraught 1966 backdrop: referee paranoia, Argentina’s internal chaos and recent coup, and a Wembley training dispute caused by greyhound racing. They dissect Antonio Rattín’s baffling dismissal amid language barriers and unclear bookings, the ugly atmosphere, and England’s 1–0 win through Hurst, before covering the aftermath, including Ramsey’s “animals” remark, protests, bans, fines, and Argentina’s defiant homecoming.00:00 Setting Up England Argentina01:23 Ramsey Hides Wingless Wonders03:16 Hurst Replaces Greaves05:11 Mundialito Lessons In Brazil09:47 Argentina Pragmatism And Press Reaction15:43 Referee Paranoia And FIFA Politics19:14 Argentina Chaos Before Wembley22:40 Greyhound Racing And Pre Match Tension26:32 Match Begins And Footage Limits29:37 Rattin Booking Sparks Flashpoint33:57 Booking Confusion Builds35:06 Rattin Sent Off Mystery38:40 Interpreter Myth Explained41:53 Aero Bars and Union Jack45:25 Who Was Actually Booked46:06 Press Fury and Fix Claims51:56 Ten Men Battle On56:01 England Finally Break Through57:18 Animals Comment Fallout01:03:17 Bans Fines and Aftermath Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.