Alan Ball has died at the age of 61

Gianni Rivera

Alan Ball has died at the age of 61 (©Getty Images)Ball's death saddens England
Wednesday, 25 April 2007

A FIFA World Cup winner with England at the age of 21, former midfielder and manager Alan Ball has died following a heart attack at the age of 61.

'Very, very sad'
His son Jimmy Ball said: "I was talking to him last night just after the football [Manchester United FC's 3-2 UEFA Champions League semi-final first leg win against AC Milan] and he was in great form. We were talking about [Paul] Scholes's pass [which set up Wayne Rooney's first goal]. And then I got a phone call in the middle of the night. It's unbelievable and very, very sad."

Midfield dynamo
Capped 72 times by England, Ball was a marauding midfielder capable of playing in the centre or on the right and was a giant presence on the pitch despite his diminutive frame. One of the stars of England's success on home soil in the 1966 World Cup, he shone in the 4-2 final victory against West Germany at Wembley. Named a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 2000 for his services to football, Ball was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2003.

'Everybody loved Alan'
World Cup team-mate Jack Charlton said: "Alan was a brave little fella. Everybody loved Alan he was a lovely little lad." His midfield partner in 1966, Sir Bobby Charlton added: "He was probably the best player [in the final] and if it had not been for his impact, the result could have been totally different. It is very sad news which has hit everyone hard. He was a terrific character who was always bubbly and jolly and a football man through and through."

Record transfers
Ball began his career with local club Blackpool FC, joining Everton FC for an English-record fee of £110,000 in August 1966 directly after lifting the World Cup. He won the English championship with the Liverpool-based side in 1969/70, forming a famous midfield triumvirate with Howard Kendall and Colin Harvey. Then, to the surprise of Everton supporters, he was sold to Arsenal FC for another record fee, £220,000, late in 1971. After five years in London, he enjoyed the first of two spells with Southampton FC, before a season apiece in the United States with NASL teams Philadelphia Fury and Vancouver Whitecaps. In 1980 he rejoined Blackpool as player-manager, then signed off as a player with Southampton. As a manager, he was in charge of Portsmouth FC twice, Stoke City FC, Exeter City FC, Southampton and Manchester City FC. Latterly he was involved with the Everton Former Players' Foundation.

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61 就去左....
睇tv 佢半年前仲來左hk..
好精神......

北倫敦之王

RIP

華頓

奠

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rip

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rip

摩連奴

RIP

橙色力量

Read the newspaper last morning. RIP

hoyte

rip