World Cup Icons: Nobby Stiles

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Let's explore a World Cup icon. 

Nobby Stiles played for England for five years, winning 28 caps and scoring one goal. 

Nobby Stiles

He played every minute of England's 1966 FIFA World Cup campaign.  The last and only time they won a major tournament. Can they repeat the fate in 2022? You certainly won't see any players like Stiles this winter.

In the semi-final of the 1966 World Cup against Portugal, he was given the job of marking Eusébio. His incredible performance resulted in Eusébio being nullified for most of game. Stiles then played in the final, which England won 4–2 against West Germany. 

His post-match jig and dance at Wembley, holding the famous World Cup trophy in one hand and his false teeth in the other, was widely broadcast. It has also been referenced in a fairly popular song.

Stiles spent the majority of his club career for Manchester United, spending 11 years at Old Trafford, where he became renowned for his tough tackling and ball-winning qualities. He was crucial in United's success during the decade. 

During his time at Old Trafford, he won two League titles and a European Cup. Stiles is one of only three Englishmen, alongside Bobby Charlton and Ian Callaghan, to have won both the World Cup and European Cup in a career. 

He finished his club career with spells at Middlesbrough and Preston North End. He played almost 400 times for Man United, scoring 19 times.

A quick search for Nobby Stiles on Twitter shows how highly people thought of him. One person simply said: "Nobby Stiles, Legend!"

In 2016, it was announced that he was suffering from advanced dementia. He was too ill to attend a celebration dinner to mark the 50th anniversary of England's 1966 World Cup win.

In November 2017, a documentary on the subject of brain injuries amongst retired footballers presented by Alan Shearer included an interview with Stiles' son. Stiles sadly died on 30 October 2020, aged 78, after suffering with prostate cancer and advanced dementia. His death was marked by tributes from all over the world. 

Nobby Stiles is a player that we'll never forget. 

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