LONDON, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- England's legendary World Cup winning goalkeeper Gordon Banks has died at the age of 81.
The goalkeeper's family confirmed his death in a statement on the Stoke City website which read: "It is with great sadness that we announce that Gordon passed away peacefully overnight. We are devastated to lose him but we have so many happy memories and could not have been more proud of him.
"We would ask that the privacy of the family is respected at this time."
Banks played 73 times for England, including the triumphant 1966 World Cup and the 1970 World Cup in Mexico, where he made what many consider to be the greatest save ever made by a goalkeeper, to deny legendary Brazil forward Pele in a group stage game that Brazil eventually won 1-0.
Banks played his club career with Leicester City making just under 300 appearances, before moving to Stoke City in 1967, where he played 194 times, becoming club president later in his life.
