Only nine men have kept goal for England in
the 12 World Cup final tournaments in which England have played, and one of these, Peter Bonetti, was a
last-minute, one-time replacement for a regular fallen ill, Gordon Banks.
Bonetti took over in goal for the 3-2
extra-time quarterfinal loss to West Germany that sent England home from the
1970 tournament. That was the only occasion on which England's
first-choice goalkeeper failed to play every minute of every match at a World
Cup final tournament. It follows that no England goalkeeper has ever
been substituted in World Cup finals play.
Only one keeper, Shilton, played at three
final tournaments. Two, Banks and Seaman, played at two
tournaments. Seaman was on the squads for three tournaments, but did not
play at the first in 1990. The remaining five goalkeepers played at only
one tournament. Both Ron Springett and Bonetti were on the squads for
two tournaments, but Springett did not play at his second tournament in 1966
and Bonetti, who, as noted above, made only one appearance at the 1970
tournament, did not play at his first tournament in 1966.
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