England World Cup winner and Liverpool’s record league goalscorer Roger Hunt has died at the age of 83, the Premier League club announced on Tuesday.
Hunt, who played in the 1966 World Cup final against West Germany at Wembley, which England won 4-2, scored an unsurpassed 244 league goals for the Reds.
“We are mourning the passing of legendary former player Roger Hunt,” the club said in a statement posted on their official Twitter account.
“The thoughts of everybody at Liverpool Football Club are with Roger’s family and friends at this sad and difficult time. Rest in peace, Sir Roger Hunt 1938 – 2021.”
Hunt joined Liverpool, then a tier-two team, as a 20-year-old in 1958 and played his last game for the club in 1969, before going on to play for Bolton Wanderers for three seasons.
The forward’s overall Liverpool record of 285 goals was broken by Ian Rush in 1992, but no-one has scored more league goals for the club.
Hunt, known as ‘Sir Roger’ to Liverpool fans despite the absence of an official knighthood, won two English top-flight titles and the FA Cup under celebrated manager Bill Shankly.
He scored three goals in six appearances for Alf Ramsey’s England team during the 1966 World Cup on home soil and 18 goals in 34 games overall for his country.
Current Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said: “It’s really sad news and our thoughts and our love go to his family.
“Unfortunately, it feels too frequent in this moment we are saying farewell to these giants of our club.
He added: “Roger Hunt comes second to no one in his importance in the history of Liverpool FC, that much is clear.”
The Three Lions tweeted: “We’re extremely saddened to learn that Roger Hunt, who was a key member of our @FIFAWorldCup-winning side in 1966, has passed away at the age of 83. Our deepest condolences go to Roger’s family, friends and former clubs.”
Football Association chief executive Mark Bullingham said in a statement that England had “lost another great”.