England’s 1966 World Cup winning goalkeeper, Gordon Banks has died at the age of 81.
Banks made a total of 73 England appearances, including every game of the ’66 World Cup.
In a remarkable career, Banks will orobably be remembered best for a seemingly impossiblesave to deny Pele a goal in the group stages of the 1970 World Cup, in a clash with Brazil.
Banks’ former club Stoke City released a statement on behalf of the family saying: “It is with great sadness that we announce that Gordon passed away peacefully overnight.
We are devastated to lose him but we have so many happy memories and could not have been more proud of him.
We would ask that the privacy of the family is respected at this time”
Former England goalkeeping legend Peter Shilton, who followed Banks in the number one shirt tweeted: “”I’m devastated – today I’ve lost my hero our condolences to his family rip Gordon”
And former England captain Gary Lineker tweeted: “Oh no. Gordon Banks, n absolute hero of mine, and countless others, has died. @England’s World Cup winner was one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time, and such a lovely, lovely man. #RIPGordon”
Gordon Banks retired from football at the age of 34, after losing the sight in his right eye in a road accident in 1972.