He gained his place in the England side as a result of an injury to the legendary Jimmy Greaves. Hurst got his chance, kept his place and scored vital goals as England went all the way to the final. 
Hurst: Hat-trick hero
At club level, Hurst was a supreme centre forward for West Ham United, where under manager Ron Greenwood, he perfected the art of the near-post run. Balls would be delived into the near post, Hurst would already know where it was going, get there first – and more often than not, he’d score. It was simplicity at work – and it was this form that propelled Hurst into the 1966 England squad. The rest, as they say, is history.
The second goal has been the subject of much controversy down the years. Alan Ball took the ball to the byline and pulled it back for Hurst, who turned away from goal to control the ball, then swivelled and shot firmly past the keeper. The ball hit the underside of the bar, bounced down and then out. The Russian linesman famously gave the goal, much to the annoyance of the German defence.
Hurst has since claimed that his third goal was simply his attempt to hit the ball as hard as possible. The idea being that if it missed, the Germans would have a long run to fetch the ball, thus wasting a valuable stoppage time. He needn't have worried about it. His shot screamed into the top corner for one of the best goals ever scored in the World Cup Final.
Geoff Hurst's achievement has yet to be matched - and his performances for his country earn him a place in our All-Time Top 50 list.