Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: England, Football World Cup, Germany, Football
Ryan Smart
AI has replayed the 1966 World Cup final between England and Germany - and the results are incredible.
England won the World Cup for the first and only time in history in 1966, defeating West Germany 4-2 at Wembley.
The most iconic images from that day are either Bobby Moore parading the Jules Rimet trophy, hoisted aloft by Geoff Hurst and Ray Wilson, or Hurst's celebration after scoring the winning goal in extra time.
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In terms of commentary, Kenneth Wolstenholme's 'They think it's all over... it is now' line is still remembered to this day - especially if you listen to 'World In Motion' on a semi-regular basis.
But there has regularly been a debate over England's win, centring around Hurst's goal to make it 3-2.
The question of whether the ball crossed the line has long been disputed, although Sky Sports used virtual technology in 2016 to effectively show it did.
If goal line technology existed in 1966, of course, we would have a clear answer - but football had to wait another 50 years for that.
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Instead, the Daily Star used AI to replay the 1966 World Cup final using goal line technology and VAR. The results were certainly interesting.
AI simulates 1966 World Cup final
While, in real life, West Germany opened the scoring on 12 minutes through Helmut Haller, AI predicts that Hurst would put England ahead on the same minute, with his shot hitting the underside of the crossbar before going over the line. See any parallels?
VAR then got involved on 39 minutes to award West Germany a penalty, which Haller dispatched to make it 1-1.
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Then, on 68 minutes, England received a penalty for handball, with the spot kick scored by Hurst for his second of the match.
Germany equalised again late on through Wolfgang Weber - who also scored a late equaliser in the 1966 final.
But VAR would intervene again before full-time, penalising the Germans for a second, slightly controversial handball offence in the area. Hurst stepped up and scored it for his hat trick.
If you're reading this thinking AI has simulated a replica of the actual 1966 final, there is still more to come.
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To add to the huge levels of drama, Germany put the ball in the net in stoppage time. VAR, though, once again had its say, ruling it out for handball to the relief of all the England fans inside Wembley.
England, therefore, win the World Cup 3-2 in AI's 1966 final - meaning the Jules Rimet trophy replica will once again be transported to the National Football Museum.