What happened to medals of '66?

Alan Ball has become the fifth of England's legendary "boys of '66" to sell off his winners' medal from England's only World Cup triumph.

Around 400m people in the world watched England beat Germany 4-2

Of course, Ball and his team-mates were not fortunate enough to play in an era like today, when footballers can earn in excess of £100,000 a week.

And as Ball said when he announced the sale, the death of his wife put the importance of hanging on to a 40-year-old piece of metal into perspective.

The former Everton, Blackpool and Southampton star raised £140,000 from the sale. But who else who tasted glory on that scorching July day has cashed in and who held on to the most visible reminder of their greatest two hours?

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Gordon Banks

England's acrobatic goalkeeper sold his medal via auction to an anonymous telephone bidder in 2001 for £124,750. He said the decision to sell was difficult - as the final was the greatest day of his career - but he wanted to save his children the burden of deciding what to do with the medal after his death.

George Cohen
The Fulham right-back was one of a select band of players who played all six matches in England's run to the final in 1966. He put his medal up for auction in 1998 to provide for his old age but it failed to reach a £60,000 reserve. However, the Professional Footballers' Association did pay £10,000 for his England cap awarded for his part in the triumph. His medal is now displayed in his former club's trophy lounge.

Ray Wilson
The oldest member of England's World Cup team, the dependable left-back went on to work as an undertaker in his post-football days. He was reported to have sold his medal three years ago for just over £80,000.

Jack Charlton
The towering defender returned to the World Cup stage as a manager with the Republic of Ireland. Since his second retirement from football, he has continued to enjoy his fishing and has often told interviewers he would never consider selling his medal.

Bobby Moore
England and West Ham's imperious captain is the only member of the team who is no longer with us, having died of colon cancer aged 51 in 1993. His former wife Tina sold his medal and other memorabilia to the West Ham club museum several years later for a total of £150,000. Club spokesman Peter Stewart said: "It was important that it came to its spiritual home. The family was happy that if the medal had to be sold, it would come to the club that was such a big part of his career."

Alan Ball
The latest of the famous team to decide that his cherished medal can help ensure a comfortable standard of living in his older years. He said: "Winning the World Cup in 1966 will stay with me forever, but it's time to look to the future, not the past."

Nobby Stiles
The tenacious midfielder renowned as one of the era's hardest players faced some tough times in retirement after business investments failed to pay off. But, rather than part with his medal, he has built a career as a popular after-dinner speaker and recently published his autobiography After The Ball.

Martin Peters
Unlike his West Ham team-mates Moore and Hurst, Peters has not sold his medal to his former club, although a number of other hard-won items from his famous career adorn the Hammers' museum. Since the final, in which he scored the second goal, he has combined an insurance business with duties as a match-day host at another former club, Tottenham.

Bobby Charlton
His long association with Manchester United - where he remains an influential director - means that he is happy and proud to have his World Cup medal on display at the club museum, although he retains ownership. It meant he avoided losing the treasured item when his home was raided by burglars in 2003.

Roger Hunt
The legendary Liverpool goal-poacher has always hung on to his medal. After hanging up his boots, he went to run a family haulage business.

Geoff Hurst
England's hat-trick hero's medal now resides - like that of his former captain Bobby Moore - in the "Champions Collection" at West Ham's museum after the club paid £150,000 for his memorabilia collection. Club spokesman Peter Stewart said: "Both of them were legends here and at the very heart of this club. There is always a big queue of people young and old crowded around the display of the medals."

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