Cricket World Cup: Eoin Morgan joins roll call of captain greats in English sporting history
Written by News on 15/07/2019
Captain Eoin Morgan spearheaded England’s cricket team to an astonishing victory over New Zealand in the World Cup final.
But who are the other England skippers who have led their sides to stunning victories in the world’s biggest tournaments?
Bobby Moore (football, 1966)
The West Ham legend became the most famous England captain to win a World Cup after securing the Three Lions’ only title in 1966.
He was the archetypal figure to be captain because not only was he a talented player, he also boasted supreme leadership skills that were admired by both teammates and opponents.
Moore played a key role in the final victory over West Germany and remains one of the country’s most-loved footballers.
Martin Johnson (rugby, 2003)
His huge physical presence – with him being 6ft 7ins tall and weighing over 18 stone – meant where Johnson led, others followed.
He was a fearsome competitor and captained with a no-nonsense, uncompromising approach, leading his team to World Cup victory in 2003.
There were times when his will-to-win went over the top – Johnson accepts he was not the perfect captain – but it left opponents and teammates never doubting his commitment.
Paul Collingwood (cricket, T20, 2010)
Captained the England cricket team to their first global trophy in 2010. Collingwood earned a reputation for doing the job without a fuss and getting the most out of his relatively limited talent in comparison to his contemporaries.
He was a stickler for attention-to-detail, which is probably why he made a successful move into coaching.
Heather Knight (women’s cricket, 2017)
Compared to her predecessor Charlotte Edwards, Knight offered a calm, more direct approach to leadership but it was one which paid off as she guided her team to victory on home soil two years before Morgan’s success.
She was brimming with determination, belief and focus after turning down a place to study at Cambridge University to pursue a cricket career when it was not a professional sport.
(c) Sky News 2019: Cricket World Cup: Eoin Morgan joins roll call of captain greats in English sporting history
