WORLD Cup and hat-trick hero Sir Geoff Hurst thinks, like so many others, that it’s coming home.

Speaking exclusively to the Adver, Sir Geoff, who scored three of England’s four goals in the nation’s only previous World Cup final in 1966, said that success like he experienced, that the current side might emulate becomes much bigger than mere sport.

Sir Geoff said: “When excitement reaches this level, it transcends the sport and it becomes a national event and people who may have not been very passionate before are now doing the opposite because they can’t do or see anything without it being about the World Cup.

“People will remember exactly where they were at that moment in time. When any sport does well it starts to inspire people and none more so than the biggest sport in this country, football.”

Swindon Advertiser: FINEST HOUR: England's triumphant 1966 World Cup final captain Bobby Moore chaired by hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst and Ray Wilson.

And one of only a few Englishmen who knows what it’s like to lift the World Cup aloft believes the current crop of stars will soon be joining him.

He said: “If you would have asked me before the tournament how are we going to do bearing in mind the last two tournaments being an absolute disaster.

“If I would have said before the tournament that we were going to win it I would have been looked upon as being deranged but now you ask me today and we can win it, it’s as simple as that.

“I am absolutely convinced it will happen, the interest throughout the country with photographs and videos of people celebrating is like nothing before. The World Cup is 1,000 times bigger today, when we played at the World Cup we weren’t even playing much in Europe and had been beat in a previous tournament by the USA 1-0.

“The advice I would give the England team going into the semi-finals is continue to do whatever it is you are doing, they have a great opportunity to make a mark for themselves and their profession.

“When you win a World Cup it does put you in a different category to everybody else because there are only 11 players in this country who have won it and it will change their football careers and their lives.”

The former West Ham United star even offered to sing the refrain of the Euro 96 anthem Football’s Coming Home – the song on everyone’s lips and in so many internet memes.

“Is football coming home, do you want me to sing it?”

But despite the glory of being the only man to score a hat-trick in a World Cup final, Sir Geoff said victory is by far the most important thing., adding: “I don’t think I would be sitting here talking to you having scored three if we would have got beat in the final.

“That record still stands - it’s hard to beat but it is nowhere near as important as the team winning the game.”