The Academy of West Ham United F.C. is historically one of the most productive football academies in British football. This success has resulted in its nickname the Academy of Football.

Sir Geoffrey Charles Hurst is an English former professional footballer. A striker, he became the first player to ever score a hat-trick in a World Cup final. He scored that hat-trick when England recorded a 4–2 victory over West Germany at Wembley in 1966. With the death of Sir Bobby Charlton in October 2023, Hurst became the last living player from the team that won the 1966 final.