The former West Ham player scored a hat-trick in the 1966 final.
World Cup winner Sir Geoff Hurst said it was a “great honour” to be given the Freedom of the City of London at a ceremony on Monday.
The 84-year-old was recognised for his outstanding sporting achievements for England and West Ham United at the event, which comes 60 years after England beat West Germany 4-2 at Wembley.
“Looking at all the other well-known people over hundreds of years is just fantastic,” he said.
Sir Geoff was the first player to score a World Cup final hat-trick, and Kylian Mbappe is the only other to have done so, in 2022, but his France team lost to Argentina.
“I naturally think had we lost the game my hat-trick wouldn’t have been noticed at all. It’s about the team winning,” Sir Geoff said.
All his 10 team-mates from the final have died, and only Terry Paine and Ian Callaghan survive from England’s 1966 squad.
Six of the 10 finalists died due to complications with dementia and Sir Geoff explained that his faith in medication research for the illness is a key factor in his support for the charity Alzheimer’s Society.
“I look at the pictures of my team with great sadness that are no longer here,” he said.
“It affects every single person around the family and you hear some really heartbreaking stories.”
In total, Sir Geoff scored 24 times in 49 England matches and was also a prolific scorer for West Ham United, with 248 goals in 499 appearances.
Former West Ham captain Mark Noble, who represented the club at the ceremony, said: “Growing up in in the area you can’t help not knowing about Geoff Hurst and what the boy has done for West Ham.”
“Geoff’s done so much for this country and for our club,” he added.
Dame Susan Langley, Lady Mayor of the City of London and one of Sir Geoff’s nominators, said: “For West Ham supporters like me, his contribution in claret and blue will always have a place in our history and in the hearts of Hammers fans everywhere.
“Sir Geoff’s freedom, which I am delighted to support, is a fitting recognition of a truly remarkable individual.”
The honour, one of the City of London’s ancient traditions, is believed to date from 1237, and enabled a recipient to carry out their trade, but is largely ceremonial today.
Other footballers who have received the honour include Harry Kane, Ian Wright, and the entire Euro 2022-winning England Women’s team.
