What was the name of the ‘Russian’ linesman in the 1966 World Cup Final?
Aside for the endless, inconclusive debate that has followed ever since, perhaps the most interesting thing about the ‘Russian’ linesman in the 1966 World Cup Final is that he wasn’t Russian at all. In fact, Tofiq Bahramov hailed from Azerbaijan which, at the time, was still part of the Soviet Union, such that he was labelled ‘Russian’ forever more. For sports fans prising themselves away from the best australia online casino sites, this is a story well worth hearing.
In any event, Bahramov found fame when, late in the first half of extra time, Geoff Hurst crashed the ball off the underside of the German crossbar and down onto, or possibly over, the goal line. England players appealed for a goal and, unsighted by the German goalkeeper Hans Tilkowski, Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst consulted Bahramov for his opinion. An agonising wait, possibly caused by a language barrier, followed, but Bahramov nodded his head and waved his arm to signify a goal should be given. So it was, much to the consternation of the German players, who angrily surrounded the referee.
Of course, Geoff Hurst went on to complete his now legendary hat-trick with the last kick of extra time, to put the result beyond doubt. For his part, Bahramov became something of a national hero; in 1993, shortly after his death, the Vladimir Lenin Stadium, in Baku, was renamed the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium in his honour. The world has of course moved on a fair amount since this time, with online casino nz and sports books becoming central to gambling and sport. There’s always time for a good sports anecdote though!