Chris Waddle
The mercurial English winger whose dazzling dribbles, unforgettable penalty miss, and distinctive mullet made him a cult football hero.
Born 1960 (age 66)·English footballer·Birthday: December 14·Baby Boomers
Biography
Chris Waddle’s journey from a non-league factory worker to a European Cup finalist encapsulates the romance of English football. Discovered playing for Tow Law Town, his raw talent flourished at Newcastle United before a transformative move to Tottenham Hotspur, where his partnership with Glenn Hoddie became the stuff of White Hart Lane legend. A big-money transfer to Marseille saw him reach his peak, adored in France for his skill and helping the club to three consecutive league titles. His England career, however, is forever shadowed by his skied penalty in the 1990 World Cup semi-final shootout against West Germany. In retirement, his warm, witty, and distinctly Geordie-accented punditry has made him a beloved voice on the airwaves.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Chris was born in 1960, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Chris Was Born
The biggest hits of 1960
#1 Movie
Swiss Family Robinson
Best Picture
The Apartment
#1 TV Show
Gunsmoke
Chris's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1960Born
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1965Started school
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1973Became a teenager
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1976Could drive
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1978Could vote
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1981Turned 21
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1990Turned 30
Hubble Space Telescope launched; Germany reunifies
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.80/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Hold On" — Wilson PhillipsBest Picture: Dances with Wolves
2000Turned 40
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 50
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 60
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 66 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won three consecutive French Ligue 1 titles with Olympique de Marseille from 1990 to 1992.
- Was a key member of the England squad that reached the semi-finals of the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
- Named the PFA Players' Player of the Year in 1987 while playing for Tottenham Hotspur.
- Made 62 appearances for the England national team, scoring 6 goals.
Did You Know?
He released a novelty dance single called 'Diamond Lights' with teammate Glenn Hoddle in 1987, which reached No. 12 in the UK charts.
He worked in a sausage factory and as a sweeper-up before becoming a professional footballer.
He is a talented amateur golfer with a single-figure handicap.
His distinctive hairstyle in the late 80s and early 90s was famously described as a 'curly perm mullet.'
““Gazza was the best player I ever played with. He could do things with a ball I didn't think were possible.””
