Uwe Seeler: Hamburg hero who captained West Germany in 1966 World Cup final

Shoulders slumped and head bowed, Uwe Seeler appeared disconsolate as he trudged off the Wembley turf at the end of the 1966 World Cup final.

The prolific striker’s mood was in stark contrast to the jubilation of the home nation as a marching band prepared to salute England’s contentious success.

Seeler, who has died at the age of 85, was West Germany captain for the agonising 4-2 extra-time loss in London.

The black-and-white image of him leaving the field was later voted sport photograph of the century in his homeland due to its depiction of magnanimity in defeat.

His dejection had replaced disbelief after Swiss referee Gottfried Dienst controversially awarded England a crucial third goal when Sir Geoff Hurst’s thunderous shot on the turn crashed down off the crossbar and bounced close to the goal-line.

“None of us understood why they allowed the goal. It was a clear decision in my eyes and that’s why I was so startled about the call,” said Seeler, speaking on the 50th anniversary of the final in 2016.

Seeler’s 43 international goals in 72 caps make him Germany’s eighth-highest goalscorer.

His Wembley appearance came just 17 months after he suffered a career-threatening ruptured Achilles which forced him to wear custom-made boots for two years.

He graced the same four World Cups as Pele, playing 21 games and registering nine goals across the 1958, 1962, 1966 and 1970 tournaments, but never won the competition.

While he contested the validity of the second goal of Hurst’s famous hat-trick throughout his life, he remained gracious.

“Even if it was a defining moment, sport is sometimes like that. You have to absorb it and put it away,” he added.

“When Geoff or Bobby (Moore) or Jackie (Charlton) came over here for a visit,