Ray Wilson death: 1966 England World Cup winning footballer dies aged 83

World Cup winner | Ray Wilson celebrates with the trophy after the victory in 1966
Getty Images
Robin de Peyer16 May 2018

World Cup-winning former England footballer Ray Wilson has died aged 83.

The defender was capped 63 times for the Three Lions and was a member of the team which triumphed in the 1966 World Cup.

He also made 283 appearances for Huddersfield Town between 1952 and 1964.

In a statement, the club said: "Ray is arguably the most successful and best-known player ever to pull on a Huddersfield Town shirt.

England World Cup winner Ray Wilson - In pictures

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"Until very recently, he was a regular supporter of the Terriers at home match days alongside his eldest son Russell despite battling Alzheimer's disease, which he was diagnosed with in 2004.

"The thoughts of everyone at Huddersfield Town are with Ray’s wife Pat, his sons Russ and Neil and the rest of his family and friends at this difficult time."

Wilson also made 116 appearances for Everton, where he won the FA Cup in 1966.

The club described him as "one of the finest footballers to wear the royal blue jersey".

His former Everton teammate Joe Royle said of the left-back: "He is a World Cup winner and played in the last England team that had four, maybe five, world class players… and he was certainly one of those.

“He was the best of his kind at the time. And he was a top guy, always there with a smile or a helpful word. I played a few reserve games with Ray and it was like listening to a maestro. He knew his stuff.”

After retiring from football, he was awarded an MBE in 2000 before being inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2008.

He died at a care home in Huddersfield, where he lived, on Tuesday evening.

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