Ray Wilson, the Everton legend who remains the only player to have won the World Cup while with the club, never bragged of his achievements, according to former team-mate Colin Harvey. Wilson, who died in 2018 at age 83, lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy with England in 1966 while playing for the Blues.
Exclusive Club of One
Sixty years on from his Wembley triumph, Wilson is still the sole Everton player to have secured a World Cup winners' medal during his time at Goodison Park. Marco Materazzi (Italy, 2006) and Shkodran Mustafi (Germany, 2014) won after leaving Everton, while Alan Ball joined the Blues shortly after the 1966 success. Wilson, however, remains in an exclusive club of one.
Wilson was the elder statesman of Alf Ramsey's side at 31, more than a decade older than the youngest member, Alan Ball. Despite being England's first-choice left-back for five years, Wilson had to wait until almost 30 to play top-flight football regularly at club level.
From Railwayman to World Cup Winner
Born in Shirebrook, Derbyshire, Ramon Wilson started as an apprentice railwayman, working on tracks at night and training with Huddersfield Town by day. He made his debut against Manchester United in October 1955 but only established himself after relegation that season. Under manager Bill Shankly, Wilson played alongside Denis Law but could not return to the First Division. Shankly left for Liverpool in December 1959.
Wilson became Huddersfield's most-capped player before joining Everton in 1964 for £35,000 plus Mick Meagan, after manager Harry Catterick's long pursuit. A hip injury on his home debut sidelined him for four months, but he recovered to become a stalwart for four seasons.
Double Winner in 1966
Wilson also won the FA Cup with Everton in 1966, a 3-2 comeback win over Sheffield Wednesday. He remains the only player to win both the FA Cup and World Cup at the same stadium (Wembley) in the same year. Others to achieve the feat elsewhere include Patrick Vieira (1998), Mesut Ozil and Per Mertesacker (2014), and N'Golo Kante and Olivier Giroud (2018).
Wilson paraded the World Cup around Goodison Park alongside Liverpool's Roger Hunt before the 1966 Charity Shield.
Hailed as England's Best Left-Back
Goodison Park stalwart Gordon Watson, who served the club for 62 years, rated Wilson as England's best-ever left-back. Watson said: "Brian Labone confessed to me that if he was in trouble he'd get the ball to Ray who was guaranteed to get him out of a jam."
Ivan Ponting, in his book Everton Player by Player, praised Wilson's calmness: "His left-footed distribution was precise, imaginative and calm, he never passed to team-mates in dangerous positions – so many defenders dispense hot potatoes under pressure – and his powers of concentration were worthy of Geoffrey Boycott with his score on 99."
Of the 1966 final, Ponting added: "That day Ray demonstrated both his class and character as he refused to be ruffled by an uncharacteristic error, a weak header that had let in the West Germans for the opening goal and was duly rewarded with footballing immortality."
Modest Personality
Colin Harvey recalled Wilson in 2022: "Ray was quick. He was a good communicator with a real will to win but he wasn't like Bally, he wasn't an extrovert. Alan walked in on his first day and he'd take over the room – in a really nice way – but Ray, despite everything he'd achieved in the game, would just say a quick 'hello'."
Harvey explained Wilson's late move to Everton: "He was at Huddersfield Town for a long time before he came to Everton, and a lot of that was in the old Second Division, even though he was an England international. Back then it wasn't really worth moving because everyone was basically on the same wage."
Legacy Honoured
Huddersfield Town and Everton celebrated 'Ray Wilson Day' on April 28, 2018, the Terriers' first top-flight fixture against the Blues since 1972. A club statement noted: "Ray's World Cup victory brought immense pride to the terraces of Leeds Road after his talent was cultivated at Huddersfield Town. Unfortunately, Ray now suffers from Alzheimer's disease, but attends Huddersfield Town matches with his two sons when he can." Wilson died on May 15, 2018, aged 83.
