Monday 6 January 2020 13:20, UK
Sir Geoff Hurst has paid tribute to West Germany’s 1966 World Cup final goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski, who has died at the age of 84.
Tilkowski was in goal on that famous July afternoon at Wembley Stadium when Hurst scored a hat-trick to secure the Jules Rimet Trophy for England, which remains the country's only success in the tournament.
That final featured one of the most controversial goals in football history when Hurst's rising shot bounced off the underside of the crossbar and landed on the goal line with Tilkowski beaten, before the ball was then headed clear.
A goal, to the anger of the German side, would eventually be given - putting England 3-2 up in extra-time - after consultation between Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst and "Russian linesman" Tofiq Bahramov from modern-day Azerbaijan.
"Very sad to receive a call earlier to let me know that Germany's goalkeeper from '66 World Cup, Hans Tilkowski, has died," Hurst said on Twitter.
"Terrific player for his club, Borussia Dortmund, and country and a very fine man, I very much enjoyed the time we spent together over the years."
Tilkowski played 39 times for West Germany, his last game coming the season after defeat at Wembley and two years after he had been voted the country's Player of the Year.
His club career included more than 300 appearances for Westfalia Herne, Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt.
Tilkowski was a German Cup and European Cup Winners' Cup winner during his time in Dortmund.
He went on to a career in management, with two stints in charge at Werder Bremen as well as taking charge at 1860 Munich, Nuremberg, FC Saarbrucken and Greek side AEK Athens, where his career ended in 1981.
