‘Fantastic response’ - England’s 1966 World Cup hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst found Jude Bellingham’s ‘whatever’ quip at Thomas Tuchel ‘funny’

Hurst, the hero of England's 1966 World Cup triumph, has shared his delight at the self-assured nature of the current squad. Speaking after the Three Lions secured a spot in the semi-finals, the 84-year-old revealed he found Bellingham’s reaction to external and internal critiques refreshing as the team prepares for a massive showdown against Argentina.

The 1966 hat-trick hero thought the Brummie ace's response to criticism from Tuchel was 'fantastic'. He told the Mirror: "I loved the fact that Tuchel said we were not at our best and that is exciting. Bellingham's response of 'whatever' did make me laugh, that was so funny. I love that attitude, it was a fantastic response. It would not be a shock to me now if we won the World Cup. The four semi-finalists are the teams that most people predicted."

Despite Bellingham’s match-winning heroics against Norway, Tuchel remained critical of the overall team display, sparking a narrative of tension within the camp. However, Hurst believes that the former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss is the right man to lead England to glory, even if he would be the first non-Englishman to win the trophy for the Three Lions.

Hurst noted that no international team has won a World Cup with a foreign manager, but he is confident in Tuchel's preparation. He added: "But I am sure England and Tuchel will have done their homework and looked at Argentina's previous matches. If we do win it with a German manager, we will laud him as the greatest since Sir Alf Ramsey 60 years ago."

Comparing the modern squad to the legendary winners of the past, Hurst highlighted the unity within the camp as a deciding factor. He believes the current environment under Tuchel mirrors the togetherness he experienced during England's most famous sporting summer over half a century ago.

Reflecting on the harmony of the players, Hurst said: "I think they have a good team spirit. Tuchel talks about the team and that without question is the most important aspect of winning anything in any walk of life, but particularly in football. They have that and I think that is the most fundamental aspect of what we had in 1966."

The semi-final presents a historically charged fixture against Argentina, a rivalry Hurst knows well. He recalled the tense 1966 quarter-final where Antonio Rattin was sent off, acknowledging the "bad blood" that has defined the fixture for decades.

When asked whether football could finally be coming home, he told the Mirror: "I do think it is coming home. As a player you have to be positive, you have to have that to achieve what I have in the game. So the answer to 'Can we do it?' is yes. It is categorically yes. I have said this for some time."