George Cohen, who played right back on England’s 1966 World Cup championship team, passed away on Friday.
He was 83.
Cohen played every minute of that World Cup. He competed in 37 international matches.
“Everyone at Fulham Football Club is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of one of our greatest ever players – and gentlemen – George Cohen MBE,” Fulham said on its website.
“Very sad to hear my friend and @England team-mate George Cohen has died,” Geoff Hurst, who recorded a hat-trick in the 4-2 victory over West Germany in the 1966 final, wrote on Twitter. “Everyone, without exception, always said that George was such a lovely man. He will be sadly missed, my heartfelt thoughts are with George’s wife Daphne and his family.”
Cohen played his entire career at Fulham, making 459 appearances from 1956-69. He was forced to retire at 29 due to a knee injury.
In 2016, Fulham built a statue of Cohen outside of the English Premier League’s home venue, Craven Cottage.
“I find it absolutely wonderful that they even thought I was worthy of [a statue],” he said in 2016. “Especially as it was alongside Johnny Haynes, the greatest name in Fulham’s history. To be alongside him, it was rather unbelievable. It was great to think that not only the club, but the supporters had wanted to put a statue of me there.”
A tribute will be made to Cohen when the England men’s national team hosts Ukraine in a Euro 2024 qualifier at Wembley on March 26.
