Jimmy Greaves: Football mourns Tottenham and Chelsea icon, England World Cup winner and ‘possibly the greatest striker this country produced’
Football has united to pay tribute to Jimmy Greaves after the World Cup-winning former England striker and London football legend died, aged 81.
Greaves set several goalscoring records that remain unsurpassed, including his 357 goals in the English top division, 266 for Tottenham Hotspur, and 41 in a league season for Chelsea.
The east Londoner, who also played for AC Milan, West Ham United and Barnet, is fourth on England’s all-time record scorer’s list with 44.
Gary Lineker, who followed his path from football to broadcasting, called Greaves “quite possibly the greatest striker this country has ever produced”.
“A truly magnificent footballer who was at home both in the box and on the box,” Lineker said. “A charismatic, witty and warm man. A giant of the sport.”
England manager Gareth Southgate said Greaves was “admired by all who love football, regardless of club allegiances”.
“Jimmy certainly deserves inclusion in any list of England’s best players, given his status as one of our greatest goalscorers and his part in our 1966 World Cup success,” Southgate added.
Greaves belatedly received a World Cup medal in 2009 having been injured early in the tournament and left out of the final, in which his replacement, Geoff Hurst, scored a hat-trick.
Tottenham said he passed away at home in the early hours of Sunday morning. He had suffered a severe stroke in 2015.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “Sad to hear the news about Jimmy Greaves. He will be remembered as a goalscoring legend and one of the greats of English football.”