One of the greatest to ever play the game, Jimmy Greaves passed away at the age of 81 in September, 2021.
He remains the English top-flight's all-time leading scorer, in a career which saw him hit new heights of scoring and play with a timeless finishing ability that would prove deadly in today's game.
Netting 357 top-flight goals, a European record that stood until 2018, his final tally of 44 strikes in 57 England internationals is still the best sustained goals-to-games record for the Three Lions.
A career which saw him star for Chelsea, head to AC Milan then return to England and become Tottenham Hotspurs' all-time top scorer, his knack for finding the net is legendary.
However, despite scoring six hat-tricks for his nation, he was absent during England's greatest ever footballing triumph.
Why didn't Jimmy Greaves play the 1966 World Cup final?
Greaves was a starter for Alf Ramsey on the eve of the 1966 World Cup, boasting a typically sensational scoring record for England.
The deadly finisher played the entire group campaign, starting against Uruguay, Mexico and France. But it was against Les Bleus where his World Cup would end.
An event which he eloquently describes the aftermath of in this BBC interview from 1981:
In the win against France, Joseph Bonnel raked his studs down Greaves' shin, leading to the striker having 14 stitches to close a deep wound.
Out for the next game, Geoff Hurst played against Argentina and scored the only goal. From then on, England manager Ramsey kept Hurst in the starting line-up, going on to hit a hat-trick in the final against West Germany.
Greaves was fit to start the game, according to reports, but Ramsey opted to maintain his winning XI.
It was only the 11 on the field that received winners' medals, leaving Greaves with nothing to show for his efforts.
That was until a Football-Association led campaign persuaded FIFA to award medals to every squad member, on 10 June 2009 at Downing Street.
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