Pele once said, “Wembley is the cathedral of football. It is the capital of football, and it is the heart of football.” The old Wembley Stadium undoubtedly had some thrilling matches and was a genuine soccer cathedral in that respect. As the primary soccer venue for FA Cup finals and England games, great teams and players played at the stadium throughout the 20th century.
Of course, the old Wembley Stadium hosted the 1966 World Cup final between England and West Germany. This game was one of Wembley’s finest, with six goals scored and a 4-2 win for England. While the game went into extra time, England scored a further two goals to seal the match and win the World Cup.
Other memorable England games played at Wembley include an international match played between them and Hungary in the 1950s. When the Hungary team visited, they ran out 6-3 winners, which was a first home defeat for England. At any rate, it was a great game with goals galore, but Hungary proved too good with their skill and flair.
In Euro 96, England played Holland in the group stages. Holland had a good team, with some world-class players such a Patrick Kluivert. However, England started well and would outplay the Dutch to win the game by a 4-1 scoreline. Great goals from the likes of Alan Shearer left Holland defeated, with a late consolation goal scored. England flags dominated Wembley, along with the fantastic celebrations. This was definitely one of the best games played at the old Wembley that I watched.
The old Wembley Stadium has also staged the FA Cup finals. While many have not always been the best games, there are exceptions. For example, cup finals such as the thrilling game between Blackpool and Bolton in the 1950s. In this game, Blackpool was able to come back and win the game 4-3 with a cup-final hat trick from Stan Mortensen.
When West Ham played Preston at the old Wembley Stadium in the 1964 FA Cup final, few gave Preston a chance. West Ham had a very good team with players such as Geoff Hurst. Preston lost in the end, but only after a great game, which they had twice led. They were denied by a late West Ham goal from Ronnie Boyce, which won the game 3-2.
In 1979, when Manchester United and Arsenal played in the FA Cup final, there was an explosive finish to the game. With Arsenal 2-0 up and seemingly cruising to victory, a late United comeback would tie the final at 2-2. However, just before the end of the game, a third goal for Arsenal won the final and the FA Cup by a 3-2 scoreline.
Those were some of the most memorable matches played at the old Wembley Stadium. Such classic England games as the World Cup final and matches against Holland and Hungary. Great FA Cup final matches such as Blackpool vs. Bolton and Manchester vs. Arsenal also enthralled the fans. The new Wembley continues the legacy of its predecessor stadium today.
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter here. Check out Stadium Rant Original shows on our Youtube channel and subscribe! Give our socials Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok a follow for more great content!
