England Team

At last, England found their goal-touch. After having scored only four goals in their previous six internationals, they made eight changes for this game and showed a new determination.

Yet for half an hour there seemed little change as the same pattern emerged of stereotyped football, slow build-up and electing to go from side to side instead of forward. Another excellent crowd of 83,000 people were just beginning to grow restless when England scored a superb goal.

Terry Cooper, who made a very-impressive debut as an attacking full-back, combined well with Mike O'Grady and Martin Peters before putting in a fine cross from the left, deep to the far post. Geoff Hurst headed the ball square and O'Grady met it with a brilliant right-foot volley which rocketed into the French net. It was a goal that even Bobby Charlton would have been proud to score.

From that moment the result was never in doubt as England gradually got their act together. Other chances went begging but France rarely threatened, except when Gordon Banks stopped a shot by Loubet early on, and near the end of the half the 'keeper did well again to thwart the same player.

In the second half, the 'real fruit blossomed' as England powered into France with a new confidence. In the 48th minute England won a penalty. Hurst crossed from the right, O'Grady's right-foot volley was saved full-length by Carnus, and as Peters came in on the rebound, he was brought down by Bosquier. Hurst hit home the spot-kick with enormous power.

That goal 'opened the floodgates' and two minutes later, Bobby Moore crossed from the left and Hurst hit a shot into the top corner, the ball taking a deflection off Michel. By now England were all-over the French. Moore was magnificent even on this quagmire of an unfamiliar Wembley pitch. The heavy rain had left puddles glinting in the floodlights, but still the England skipper controlled the play, switching the point of attack regularly.

Francis Lee was particularly lively and had an oustanding game. With 15 minutes to go, he scored a terrific individual goal after a 'lightning'-dash and splendid, low shot. The crowd were delighted with that goal and shortly afterwards they were on their feet again after Rostagni had upended Colin Bell to give Hurst, not only his second penalty, but a goal to complete his hat-trick, his first since that famous one of the World Cup Final in 1966. Two other records made it a very-happy night for England. It was their 100th victory against foreing opposition at Wembley, whilst Hurst's first goal was their 200th at the stadium.
  

Geoff Hurst was again a hat-trick hero, this time two of his goals against an outclassed French side coming from the penalty spot. Francis Lee scored his first goal for England and Mike O'Grady, recalled after six years in the wilderness, was also on the mark. Terry Cooper was Keith Newton's new left-back partner as Ramsey continued his search for a duo to compare with Cohen and Wilson. It was a relief for Sir Alf to find his forwards on the mark after only four goals in the previous six internationals. There were two Wembley milestones. This was England's 100^th victory against overseas opponents, and Hurst's goal was the 200^th by England at the twin-towered cathedral of English football.

France had lost on their previous visit, in the 1966 World Cup. They had since reached the European Championship quarter-finals before losing 6-2 on aggregate to the eventual finalists Yugoslavia and had made a disastrous start to their World Cup qualifying group by losing to Norway in Strasbourg.
It took England half an hour to take the lead. It was a spectacular goal. From Cooper's cross, Hurst headed the ball back and Mike O'Grady hit the back of the net with a thunderous volley. It was from another O'Grady volley that England increased their lead just after half-time. It was saved by Carnus but Peters was fouled by Bosquier as he moved in for the rebound. Geoff Hurst blasted home the penalty. Hurst scored again just a minute later from another Cooper cross. Michel's deflection took the ball into the corner. Fifteen minutes from the end Francis Lee scored a fine individual goal with a brilliant run and shot when put through by O'Grady.
The scoring was completed five minutes later when Rostagni brought down Bell, and Hurst, once again, converted the penalty, to complete his hat-trick.
France, as expected, failed to qualify for the following year's World Cup. They were not to meet England again until the 1982 World Cup, when England won 3-1 in Bilbao, and it was a further ten years before France reappeared at Wembley.
     

Source Notes

TheFA.com
FFF.fr
Allezlesbleus.free.fr
Original newspaper reports
Rothman's Yearbooks
Mike Payne's England: The Complete Post-War Record (Breedon Books Publishing Company, Derby, U.K., 1993)
Norman Giller, Football Author
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CG