Bobby Moore

Soccer Player

• Born: April 12, 1941
• Birthplace: Barking, borough of London, Essex England
• Died: February 24, 1993
• Place of death: London, England

Sport: Soccer

Early Life

Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore was born on April 12, 1941, in Barking, borough of London, Essex, England, in close proximity to Dagenham, the hometown of his future manager, Alf Ramsey. Bobby had a happy childhood; his parents, Robert and Doris Moore, never had a lot of money, but they made sure that they gave their only child every support and encouragement. From an early age, Bobby dreamed of playing soccer for England. When Bobby played for Barking Primary School, no one could have imagined that the dreams of the little blond boy would one day come true.

The Road to Excellence

Although Bobby was a good schoolboy soccer player, he was by no means exceptional. Consequently, it was something of a surprise that West Ham United, the local professional team, offered him a chance to play for its schoolboy team. As a schoolboy, Bobby showed more promise at cricket than at soccer. He even captained the South of England Schools’ cricket team. Soccer, however, captured Bobby’s imagination. He was determined to make the grade.

At West Ham, Bobby’s keen positional play impressed his coaches. He was not the quickest or most mobile player, but his ability to read the game enabled him to avoid potentially dangerous situations that might have exposed his limitations.

Bobby played as a central defender for West Ham’s reserve teams, and his intelligent play helped him progress toward a spot on the first team. He was even selected to play for the England Youth team. In June, 1958, Bobby signed as a professional. Three months later, at the age of seventeen, he made his professional debut for West Ham in a game against Manchester United.

In the 1960-1961 season, Bobby established himself on the West Ham first team. Through sheer hard work, he had become a superb tackler. His tackling skill allowed him to steal the ball from opponents and then use the ball constructively in attack. By his twenty-first birthday, Bobby was already one of the most accomplished defenders in the English game.

The Emerging Champion

Bobby’s stylish and creative defensive play guaranteed his selection for England’s national team. In May, 1962, he won his first cap—an appearance on the national team. International soccer posed no problems for Bobby, and he immediately starred in the England defense. Bobby’s rapid rise to the top was completed in May, 1963. An injury to the England captain, Jimmy Armfield, meant that at the tender age of twenty-two Bobby captained his country in a full international match against Czechoslovakia.

Bobby also found success at the club level. He was the captain of victorious West Ham teams in the 1964 Football Association and 1965 European Cup Winners’ Cup finals. Both these games were played at Wembley Stadium, the home of the England international team. Also at Wembley, Bobby was to experience the greatest triumph of his career.

In 1964, national team manager Alf Ramsey chose Bobby to lead England in the 1966 World Cup tournament, which was to be held in England. Although Bobby was quiet and reclusive in his private life, on the soccer field he was a dominating character. He constantly made himself available to receive the ball, and he acted with a calm authority at all times. These qualities made him a natural leader.

England’s blond captain guided the team to the World Cup Final against West Germany. Perhaps Bobby’s most valuable contribution during the tournament was the quick free kick he took to set up Geoff Hurst’s equalizing goal. This intelligent play paved the way for England’s 4-2 victory over the West Germans.

On July 30, 1966, Bobby climbed the stairs to the Wembley Royal Box and joyfully accepted the World Cup Winners’ Trophy from Queen Elizabeth II. Later he was voted player of the tournament by the sportswriters at the World Cup. England and Bobby were on top of the world.

Continuing the Story

In 1967, Bobby received the Order of the British Empire in recognition of his invaluable contribution to England’s World Cup victory; he was still only twenty-five. The England captain was at his peak between 1966 and 1970, and he continued to star for both England and West Ham.

The 1970 World Cup, played in Mexico, provided Bobby with a further opportunity to display his immense talents. In a qualifying-round game against Brazil, he played one of his best-ever games. That performance prompted the Brazilian star Pelé to describe Bobby as the finest defender in the world. Ultimately, the Mexico tournament proved to be a disappointment for the England team and for Bobby. The team lost a heartbreaking quarterfinal game against an avenging West German team, and Bobby’s participation was clouded by personal problems even before the tournament began. Bobby was accused, wrongly, of stealing a bracelet from a shop in Colombia. The affair was blown up into an international incident. Throughout the affair, to his credit, Bobby conducted himself with the same calm integrity that he showed on the playing field.

After the 1970 World Cup, Bobby entered the twilight of his career. In 1973, he played for England for the last time. That game against Italy was Bobby’s 108th international appearance, at the time, a world record.

In March, 1974, Bobby finally left West Ham and dropped down to the weaker Second Division to join Fulham. He joined forces with his old England colleague Alan Mullery. These two seasoned professionals led Fulham to a miraculous appearance in the 1975 Football Association Cup Final. However, the dream ended at Wembley as Fulham was beaten by, of all teams, West Ham.

In 1976, Bobby retired. He had brief spells as the manager of nonleague Oxford City and the professional club Southend United. Perhaps because of his reserved personality, Bobby did not relish the challenge of soccer management. After leaving soccer, Bobby wrote for national newspapers and helped to run a chain of pubs.

He died in 1993 and was honored with numerous posthumous awards. In 2003, the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) designated Bobby as England’s “Golden Player,” as the country’s greatest player of the past fifty years. In 2007, outside of Wembley Stadium, a statue of Bobby was unveiled.

Summary

Bobby Moore became a great player because he was dedicated and determined to get to the top. From an early age he identified his strengths and weaknesses and worked to perfect his game accordingly. As a youngster, Bobby had always dreamed of playing for England. In the end, his career surpassed even his wildest dreams.

Bibliography

Daniels, Phil. Moore than a Legend: From Barking to Bogota—A Fascinating New Insight into the Real Bobby Moore from Those Who Knew Him Best. Romford, Greater London, England: Goal!, 1997.

Lewis, Richard. England’s Eastenders: From Bobby Moore to David Beckham, a Breeding Ground for Brilliance. Edinburgh: Mainstream, 2002.

Moore, Bobby. My Soccer Story. London: St. Paul, 1967.

Moore, Tina. Bobby Moore: By the Person Who Knew Him Best. London: HarperSport, 2006.

Powell, Jeff. Bobby Moore: The Life and Times of a Sporting Hero. London: Robson, 2002.