One of the greatest attacking footballers of all time who went on to become a much-loved TV pundit with Ian St JohnJimmy Greaves, who has died aged 81, scored 44 goals in his 57 games for
England and had a prolific goalscoring career in club
Football for
Chelsea, Milan,
Tottenham Hotspur and West Ham. He also played in two World Cups, the first in Chile in 1962, when he figured in every game, and the second in 1966, when misfortune with injury famously prevented him from sharing in England’s victory in the final.
A centre-forward of outstanding natural talent, Greaves was one of the greatest attackers of all time. He had fine ball control, acceleration, a notable left foot, and perhaps above all the exceptional flair to find himself time and space inside the penalty box, however crowded it might seem; to make himself almost invisible to opposing defenders until the ball arrived and the moment came to strike.