England star retired from football five years after World Cup heroics for unusual career switch
The World Cup-winning star took on the unusual role later on in life
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Chris Burns Senior Sports Writer
06:15, 20 Jun 2026
England star retired five years after World Cup heroics to become undertaker
The World Cup-winning star took on the unusual role later on in life
TL;DRAI
Ray Wilson, England's 1966 World Cup-winning left-back, retired from football in 1971 to pursue an unusual career as an undertaker in Huddersfield, where he trained under his father-in-law until 1997. His unconventional transition from elite athlete to funeral director demonstrates a historic case of complete professional reinvention outside traditional sports pathways.
643 words~3 min read
