George Cohen facts for kids
Cohen in 2007
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | George Reginald Cohen | |||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | 22 October 1939 | |||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Kensington, London, England | |||||||||||||||
| Date of death | 23 December 2022 (aged 83) | |||||||||||||||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) | |||||||||||||||
| Playing position | Right-back | |||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps† | (Gls)† | |||||||||||||
| 1956–1969 | Fulham | 459 | (6) | |||||||||||||
| National team | ||||||||||||||||
| 1959–1963 | England U23 | 8 | (0) | |||||||||||||
| 1964–1967 | England | 37 | (0) | |||||||||||||
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Honours
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George Reginald Cohen (born October 22, 1939 – died December 23, 2022) was a famous English footballer. He played as a right-back, which is a defensive position on the field. George Cohen spent his entire professional career playing for Fulham. He is best known for being part of the England squad that won the 1966 FIFA World Cup. He was also honored by being added to the English Football Hall of Fame.
Contents
George Cohen's Football Journey
Playing for Fulham
George Cohen was a "one-club footballer." This means he played for only one professional club throughout his career. He joined Fulham in 1956. He stayed with them for 13 years until he had to retire in March 1969 due to an injury.
He played an amazing 459 games for Fulham. Only five other players have played more games for the club. Even though he was a defender, he also scored six goals for Fulham during his time there.
Playing for England
George Cohen made his first international appearance for England in May 1964. This was in a game against Uruguay, which England won 2-1. He quickly became the first choice right-back for England's coach, Alf Ramsey.
Ramsey's team played without traditional wingers. This allowed for more strength in the middle of the field. Players like Martin Peters and Alan Ball would move from the center to the sides of the field. When they needed support, attacking full-backs like Cohen were very important.
World Cup Hero
George Cohen was a key player in the 1966 FIFA World Cup, which England hosted. After England beat Argentina in the quarter-finals, there was a famous photo. It showed coach Alf Ramsey stopping Cohen from swapping shirts with an opponent.
In the semi-final against Portugal, Cohen made an important run. His pass helped set up a goal that secured England's win.
In the final match against West Germany, Cohen was the vice-captain. He played his 30th game for England in this final. He blocked a free-kick in the last minute of the game. England went on to win the World Cup 4-2 in extra-time.
Cohen played 37 games for England in total. His last game was a 2-0 win against Northern Ireland in November 1967. Even though he never scored for England, he was known for his strong attacking play. Many people called him "England's greatest right-back." He was the first player from the 1966 World Cup-winning team to stop playing international football.
After Playing Football
After retiring as a player, George Cohen became a coach. He coached the youth team at Fulham. He also coached the England under-23 team for a while. He even briefly managed a non-league team called Tonbridge. He led them to win the Kent Senior Cup in 1974-75.
Awards and Recognition
George Cohen received many honors for his football career. Manchester United legend George Best once said Cohen was "the best full-back I ever played against." England coach Alf Ramsey called him "England's greatest right-back." Cohen is also the only Fulham player to have won a World Cup winner's medal while playing for the club.
In 2000, Cohen was awarded the MBE. This honor was given to him and four of his 1966 teammates. It recognized their important part in England's World Cup success.
In October 2016, a statue of George Cohen was put up at Craven Cottage. This is Fulham's home stadium. The statue honored him and marked 50 years since England's World Cup win. The local council also made him a freeman of the borough.
In a TV show that looked for the greatest England team, the public voted Cohen as the best right-back. This shows how highly people thought of his skills. His attacking style of play also helped inspire how modern full-backs play today.
Personal Life
George Cohen published his autobiography, George Cohen: My Autobiography, in 2003. He often attended events to raise money for cancer charities. He even hosted a special lunch at Craven Cottage before every home game.
He was also very vocal about important issues in football. He spoke out about changes to football designs. He also called for more research into dementia in football players.
George Cohen was married to his wife Daphne in 1962. They had two sons. He was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 1976 but was declared cancer-free in 1990. His nephew, Ben Cohen, is also a famous athlete. Ben won the Rugby World Cup with England in 2003.
George Cohen passed away on December 23, 2022, at the age of 83. He is remembered as one of the "greatest one-trophy wonders" because the World Cup was his only major career trophy.
Honours
Images for kids
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Cohen in December 1964, standing next to Tony Waiters, who is about to shake hands with Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
See also
In Spanish: George Cohen para niños
