Buenos Aires, July 12 (IANS) Antonio Ubaldo Rattin, one of the greatest captains and midfielders in the history of Argentine football, died at the age of 89. He wrote one of the most memorable chapters in World Cup history and played at the 1962 and 1966 World Cups and represented Argentina from 1959 to 1969.

“The Argentine Football Association, through its President Claudio Tapia, deeply mourns the passing of Antonio Ubaldo Rattín, one of the greatest symbols in the history of the Argentine National Team and an undisputed icon of Argentine football, who died today at the age of 89,” it said in a statement.

Rattin was the Argentine captain at England 1966 and the protagonist of an episode that remains forever etched in the memory of world football. In the quarter-final match against the host nation, he was sent off by German referee Rudolf Kreitlein at a time when yellow and red cards did not yet exist.

Convinced he had been the victim of an injustice and unable to understand the referee’s decision, Rattín requested a translator before leaving the field. His refusal to leave led to a historic scene: he sat down on the red carpet reserved for Queen Elizabeth II and, before leaving the stadium, crumpled a British flag. That episode had such international repercussions that a few years later in 1970 World Cup FIFA officially implemented the card system to identify refereeing sanctions.

“Rattin was much more than an unforgettable incident. He was the emblem of a generation of footballers who understood the national team jersey as an absolute commitment, where leadership was exercised through example, sacrifice, and the pride of representing the country.

“With his passing, one of the greatest captains in the history of the Argentine National Team is gone. A footballer who made temperament his hallmark and left an indelible mark on the memory of world football.

“His legacy will forever remain in the history of the Argentine Football Association and in the memory of all those who understand that wearing the Argentine jersey means much more than playing a match. It means representing an entire nation. And Antonio Rattín did so like very few others,” it added.

He spent his entire career with Buenos Aires club Boca Juniors and made 382 appearances between 1956 and 1970, scoring 28 goals and winning four league titles, and reaching the 1963 Copa Libertadores final.

After retiring as a player, Rattin had a brief spell as Boca’s coach before moving into politics.

–IANS

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