The 30 best players in World Cup history

12. Bobby Charlton, England

Bobby Charlton can easily lay claim to being England’s greatest-ever player. His brilliance was the chief factor in the victory of 1966, but his lasting legacy didn’t end there.

A glorious passer and owner of the fiercest shot of his era, Charlton was a player other nations envied and feared. Evidence of such apprehension and respect came in what proved to be his international bow, the 3-2 loss to West Germany in the quarterfinals in 1970.

The holders led 2-0, largely because their opponents committed their best player, Franz Beckenbauer, exclusively to marking Charlton. Once the latter was substituted in the 70th minute, Beckenbauer was free to stride forward and take the game away from England.

Four years earlier, nobody had paid Charlton such attention. He proved the beating heart of the Three Lions in their native land, scoring three times, including a brace in the semifinal against Portugal.

Charlton had the engine to drive England forward, along with the skill to be decisive in the final third. His rare blend of graft and class meant he retired from England duty as his country’s most-capped player, as well as their all-time leading goalscorer.

Both records have been broken since, but no Englishman has matched personal achievement with collective rewards the way Charlton did.