England and the 1966 World Cup: A cultural history

Abstract

A key moment of modernity in English post-war history, the 1966 World Cup has significance far beyond its primary sporting purpose. This book provides an in-depth cultural analysis of the event, situating it within the complex social and political changes of the mid-1960s. However, despite the attention given to non-sport-related connections, the focus remains squarely fixed on football, which is treated as a cultural form worthy of academic discussion. Individual chapters explore the masculinity of the England team, the aesthetic dimension of football tactics and the status of manager Alf Ramsey as a modernist figure. But the key theme running through the book is the victory itself and the various ways in which it has been remembered and discussed, particularly in academic accounts that seek to demonstrate the ideological construction of the myth of 1966. Critical analysis of these accounts provides a fresh view of how English identity might be considered in relation to the England victory. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of history, cultural studies, sport studies, sociology and related fields including art history, design history and media studies. It will also appeal to non-academic readers interested in the cultural history of sport in England and, more generally, English post-war cultural life.