Shearer is the closest to me in style, says Sir Geoff Hurst ahead of 2026 World Cup

Sir Geoff Hurst, the only man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, has named Alan Shearer as the England striker whose style came closest to his own, singling out the Newcastle legend’s aerial ability and finishing as the key similarities.

Speaking on the morning of the 2026 World Cup opening match, the 84-year-old reflected on the long line of England No.9s who followed in his footsteps after his legendary performance in the 1966 final, when his three goals helped England beat West Germany 4-2 at Wembley — the nation’s only major tournament victory.

“Who’s a similar player to me? I would probably pick out Alan Shearer,” Hurst told FourFourTwo. “I think we’re all different, the No.9s who have played for England down the years. It’s easy to determine who’s different when you watch players on the field, but the closest player in terms of the actual play and style of play — in the air and striking the ball — is Shearer. But we’re all different. We’re all completely different.”

Hurst has watched 14 World Cups pass without England claiming a second triumph, with the likes of Gary Lineker, Kevin Keegan, Wayne Rooney, and Harry Kane all unable to replicate his Wembley heroics on the biggest stage.

The 1966 icon also touched on the more light-hearted side of his enduring fame, revealing that offers of free drinks from well-wishers are rarer than many might expect — and that he declines them regardless.

“I wouldn’t say they queue up, but people do offer to buy a drink for me from time to time, which I always refuse,” he said. “It’s weird in a way, a complete stranger coming up to me offering to buy me a pint, so I never accept. I get it from time to time, not on a regular basis or as often as people may think, but it’s very flattering and very nice that people want to do that.”

As England prepare to embark on another World Cup campaign, Hurst remains the benchmark against which every England striker is ultimately measured — a standard that, 60 years on, none has yet matched.