<P> All the signs pointed to how far English football had fallen behind the rest of the world, including a devastating 1--0 loss to the Americans in the 1950 World Cup in Brazil . Although by the end of the 1950s, emerging talents such as prolific goalscorer Jimmy Greaves suggested that sufficiently talented players were available, provided the tactical and coaching side of the game could bring the best out of them . </P> <P> By the 1960s, English tactics and training started to improve, and England turned in a respectable performance in the 1962 World Cup, losing in the quarter - finals to eventual winners Brazil . By now, more young players were making their mark, including elegant young defender Bobby Moore . Indeed, the squad taken by England to Chile was the youngest, on average, ever taken to a major tournament, with no player over the age of 29 . The oldest featured player was the 28 - year - old Maurice Norman . After Winterbottom retired in 1962, former captain Alf Ramsey was appointed and crucially won the right to choose the squad and team himself, taking that role away from the selection committee . Ramsey boldly predicted that England would win the following tournament, which England were hosting . </P> <P> Ramsey's prediction came true, and the 1966 World Cup on home soil was England's finest moment . An unremarkable group phase saw England win two and draw one of their games, with a 30 - yard strike by Bobby Charlton at Wembley in London against Mexico proving a highlight . All of England's games were played at Wembley, which was (and still is) the England national team's home stadium . An injury to centre forward Jimmy Greaves in the final group match against France prompted Ramsey into a re-think for the quarter final against Argentina, and inexperienced replacement Geoff Hurst responded by scoring the only goal of the game . Charlton then hit both goals in a 2 - 1 semi-final win over Portugal (a game that was originally supposed to be played at Liverpool's Goodison Park) and England had reached the final, where they would meet West Germany . By now, Greaves was fit again, but Ramsey kept faith with Hurst, despite calls from the media for the main goalscorer to return . </P> <P> England's "Wingless Wonders" (a phrase coined by the press after Ramsey devised a new 4--3--3 system which relied on stamina - based midfield players rather than natural wingers) won the final 4--2 after extra time, with three goals from Hurst and one from Martin Peters . Hurst's second goal became the most talked - about and controversial in England football history, with West Germany's players protesting, to this day, that the ball from Hurst's shot did not fully cross the goal - line after bouncing down from the crossbar . Numerous attempts to decide the matter once and for all have not been fully conclusive, although the sporting consensus suggests that England were fortunate to be awarded a goal . </P>

When did england last go to the world cup final