10 Biggest FIFA World Cup "What Ifs"

Geoff Hurst defined English football with THAT goal. Not as World Cup winners. But rather as the team who would go on to be wronged out of winning it again for the next 54 (and counting) years. Had he missed and England lost, would the lack of pressure on English teams have allowed them to perform better and with greater freedom?

Every England footballer from 1967 to now would say 'yes', and could we argue? The 1966 win was quite a sensational result. Something akin to the "Miracle Of Bern" in 1954. England had a talented team but had no real place among football's giants. England failed to qualify for the 1964 European Nations Cup Finals after losing 6-3 to France in the first qualifying round. A stronger showing at the 1968 tournament followed, along with a solid campaign at the 1970 World Cup. But from there, England never really managed to live up to expectations.

Despite establishing themselves as a force in world football, the success of 1966 would always hang over the Three Lions. At every major tournament, they would be subjected to a level of scrutiny that no other team could even imagine. It would be naive to think that this weight of expectation hasn't hampered the national team.

As with all things English football, every blessing is a double-edged sword.