England's World Cup-winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks dies at 81

Image Courtesy: Reuters

Gordon Banks, the goalkeeper in England`s 1966 FIFA World Cup-winning team, has died at the age of 81, his former club Stoke City said on Tuesday.

Banks won 73 caps for England between 1963 and 1972 and made nearly 200 appearances for Stoke before his playing career was brought to an end due to a car crash that cost him the sight in one eye.

He was widely regarded as one of the greatest goalkeepers to have played the game and will perhaps be best remembered for the diving stop he made to deny Brazil`s Pele at the 1970 World Cup, which later became known as the "save of the century".

"It is with great sadness that we announce that Gordon passed away peacefully overnight," Banks` family said in a statement posted on Stoke`s official website.

"We are devastated to lose him but we have so many happy memories and could not have been more proud of him." 

Meanwhile, the club also took to their official Twitter handle to confirm the demise of Banks. 

From the family of Gordon Banks

It is with great sadness that we announce that Gordon passed away peacefully overnight.

We are devastated to lose him but we have so many happy memories and could not have been more proud of him. pic.twitter.com/mg5GIgSoBb — Stoke City FC (@stokecity) February 12, 2019

Banks began his career at Chesterfield in 1958 and moved to Leicester City the following year. He won his first England cap in 1963, four years before he joined Stoke.