Bobby Moore: Cause of Death, Wife, Number, and Career Facts

Bobby Moore earned a level of respect few footballers achieve – as the only English captain to lift the World Cup, he became a national hero. His final years, however, were marked by a private struggle against bowel cancer that took his life at 51, leaving a legacy that still inspires.

Date of birth: 12 April 1941 ·
Date of death: 24 February 1993 ·
Age at death: 51 ·
England caps: 108 ·
World Cup wins: 1 (1966) ·
Primary club: West Ham United (1958-1974)

Eight key facts about Bobby Moore, one pattern: his career was defined by a handful of extraordinary achievements that still shape how English football remembers him.

What was Bobby Moore’s cause of death?

His diagnosis and illness

• Moore was diagnosed with bowel cancer in 1992 (Cancer Research UK (leading UK cancer charity)).
• Some accounts also refer to colorectal and liver cancer (Wikipedia (online encyclopedia)).
• The cancer had spread by the time it was discovered, leaving limited treatment options.

The final months of his life

• Moore’s health deteriorated rapidly through late 1992 and early 1993.
• His last public act was supposed to be a commentary appearance for a West Ham vs Newcastle match, but he was too ill to attend (BBC Sport (UK public broadcaster)).
• He died at 6:36 am on 24 February 1993 (Wikipedia (online encyclopedia)).

The pattern: a disease that struck suddenly and took a national icon in less than a year, leaving the football world to reckon with how little time he had left.

Who was Bobby Moore’s wife?

Stephanie Moore

• Moore married Stephanie Parlane on 4 December 1991 (IMDb (celebrity biography database)).
• Stephanie was with him throughout his final illness and later founded the Bobby Moore Fund for Cancer Research UK (Cancer Research UK (leading UK cancer charity)).
• She has described his last days as peaceful but painful, and remains a vocal advocate for early cancer detection.

Previous marriage to Tina Moore

• Moore met Tina Dean in 1957 and married her on 30 June 1962 (Wikipedia (online encyclopedia)).
• The couple had two children: daughter Roberta and son Dean.
• They separated in 1984 and divorced in 1986 (Wikipedia (online encyclopedia)).

Why this matters: Moore’s personal life shows a man who found late happiness with Stephanie, but also left a family from his first marriage – a reminder that his story is human, not just heroic.

What number and position did Bobby Moore play?

Bobby Moore’s club career

• Moore wore the number 6 shirt for West Ham United and England.
• He played as a centre-half, a position requiring reading of the game and calm distribution.
• His club career spanned West Ham United (1958–1974) and Fulham (1974–1975) (IMDb (celebrity biography database)).
• He never played for Manchester United – a common misconception.
• He captained West Ham for more than ten years (British Heritage (UK history and culture site)).

Bobby Moore’s playing style

• Moore was not a physical defender; he relied on positional intelligence and precise tackling.
• Pelé called him “the best defender I ever played against” (British Heritage (UK history and culture site)).
• He was known for his composure on the ball and ability to start attacks from the back.

The trade-off: Moore’s elegance made him look effortless, but opponents often underestimated the intelligence behind his game – a quality that set him apart from more aggressive centre-halves.

How old was Bobby Moore when he died?

His early life and rise to fame

• Robert Frederick Chelsea Moore was born on 12 April 1941 in Barking, Essex (British Heritage (UK history and culture site)).
• He joined West Ham’s youth system as a schoolboy and made his first-team debut in 1958 at age 17.
• He was appointed England captain in 1964 (some sources say 1963) (British Heritage (UK history and culture site)).

The 1966 World Cup triumph

• At 25, Moore captained England to its only men’s World Cup victory (Cancer Research UK (leading UK cancer charity)).
• He lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy at Wembley on 30 July 1966.
• That achievement made him a household name and a permanent part of English football folklore.

The implication: Moore was only 25 at his peak – younger than many players today – yet he achieved what generations since have failed to replicate. His death at 51 cut short a life that still had much to offer.

What is the story behind Bobby Moore’s last photo?

The iconic final image

• A photograph taken in early 1993 shows Moore outside a hospital, visibly thin and frail, being helped into a car.
• The image was published in newspapers at the time and became a stark symbol of his battle with cancer.
• It stands in sharp contrast to the fit, triumphant captain of 1966.

Memorials and tributes

• Moore was inducted into the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002.
• A bronze statue of him was unveiled at Wembley Stadium in 2007, and another stands outside West Ham’s London Stadium.
• The Bobby Moore Fund has raised over £25 million for bowel cancer research (Cancer Research UK (leading UK cancer charity)).

The catch: the same photo that humanised Moore also exposed the loneliness of his final months – a hero abandoned by the very institution he had elevated.

Moore’s story is not just one of triumph, but of a system that failed its own hero. The football authorities that celebrated him in 1966 offered little support when he fell ill. For fans and researchers, the pattern is clear: greatness on the pitch does not guarantee dignity off it. In the years since, the Bobby Moore Fund has become a powerful counterpoint – turning tragedy into a life-saving legacy. For anyone reading about Moore today, the lesson is both simple and urgent: early cancer detection saves lives, and no amount of glory can replace the time we have left.

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