Antonio Rattin, former Argentina captain, dies aged 89 | OneFootball

Antonio Rattin, former Argentina captain and Boca Juniors great, has died aged 89.

Boca Juniors announced his death a few hours before the quarter-final between Argentina and Switzerland, describing him as an idol and symbol of the club and offering condolences to his family.

Nicknamed Rata, the Rat, the midfielder played 382 games for Boca between 1956 and 1970, scoring 28 goals and winning four league titles. He helped the Buenos Aires side reach the 1963 Copa Libertadores final.

He represented Argentina from 1959 to 1969 and featured at the 1962 and 1966 World Cups, facing Switzerland at the latter tournament.

Rattin was at the centre of one of the World Cup’s most controversial moments when he was sent off in the 1966 quarter-final, a 1-0 defeat to hosts England at Wembley. He initially refused to leave after German referee Rudolf Kreitlein dismissed him, saying he did not understand the decision as the official did not speak Spanish.

As he departed, Rattin crumpled the corner flag and sat for several minutes on the red carpet reserved for Queen Elizabeth II in protest. The incident highlighted communication issues between referees and players of different nationalities, and FIFA subsequently introduced yellow and red cards at the 1970 World Cup.

Source: L'Équipe