The legendary Mexican goalkeeper Antonio ‘la Tota’ Carbajal, the first soccer player to play in five World Cups, died at the age of 93 due to health problems, The local press reported this Tuesday.
The ‘Tota’ died
Carbajal was confined in a hospital in León, a city in the central state of Guanajuato, due to problems with his blood pressure.
“Tota” played in the World Cups in Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and England 1966. His record stood for 32 years, until German Lothar Matthaus broke it at France 1998, when he completed his fifth World Cup.
On his way through the worlds, Carbajal did not overcome the group stage with Mexico, but was tested for 11 games.
The feat of Carbajal and Matthaus was later joined by the Italian Gianluigi Buffon, the Argentine Lionel Messi, the Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo and the Mexicans Rafael Márquez, Guillermo Ochoa and Andrés Guardado. Ochoa, Guardado, Messi and Ronaldo achieved the mark in the past Qatar 2022 World Cup.
Carbajal made his soccer debut with Real España in 1948. In 1950 he signed for León, with whom he finished his professional career in 1966. In addition to spending most of his career with León, he also chose the city as his residence, after of living his early years in his native Mexico City.
With León, Carbajal won two league titles and after his retirement from the fields he served as León’s coach. Carbajal attended the 1948 London Olympics as a substitute goalkeeper.
FOOTBALL IS IN MOURNING. Today, sadly, the historic Mexican goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal passed away. The Tota. The first player in history to have played in 5 World Cups (1950, 1954, 1958, 1962 and 1966). As a player, legend of León, of the Mexican National Team and of soccer… pic.twitter.com/oaYG84xDTB
– Undefeated (@InvictosSomos) May 9, 2023
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