May 09, 2023 at 11:40 PM
Former Mexican goalkeeper Antonio ‘Tota’ Carbajal died on Tuesday at the age of 93. He was the first footballer in history, and until 1998 the only one, to play in five world championships.
“He fell ill last week and ‘Tota’s’ life came to an end on Tuesday afternoon,” said Antonio Moreno, director of the International Soccer Hall of Fame. Carbajal died in the Mexican city of León.
Carbajal was a 47-time international for Mexico. He played in the five consecutive World Cups of 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962 and 1966 in Brazil, Switzerland, Sweden, Chile and England. Each time Mexico stranded in the group stage.
Carbajal’s record was later matched by seven other players. First by Lothar Matthäus and then by Gianluigi Buffon, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and compatriots Rafael Márquez, Guillermo Ochoa and Andrés Guardado.
In a club context, Carbajal only played for Real Club España and Club Léon in his own country. After his playing career, he was ten years (between 1984 and 1994) coach of the Mexican Monarcas Morelia.