​Former Argentina captain Antonio Rattín, who was sent off in the 1966 World Cup quarter-final against England, has died at the age of 89, his longtime club Boca Juniors confirmed on Saturday. The loss came on a day when Argentina and England had both progressed to the World Cup quarter-finals, setting up a semi-final clash between the rivals next Wednesday.
“With deep sorrow, we regret the passing of Antonio Ubaldo Rattin, an idol and emblem of our institution,” Boca announced on social media. “We stand with his family and loved ones in this difficult moment. Farewell ‘Rata’.”
Born on May 16, 1937, Rattin was a combative central midfielder who dedicated his entire club career to Boca Juniors. He also earned 34 caps for Argentina, appearing in both the 1962 and 1966 World Cups. He remains widely remembered outside Argentina for his dismissal at Wembley in 1966. After being booked in the 35th minute for a rough challenge on England’s Roger Hunt, he complained to the German referee Rudolf Kreitlein that he did not speak German and could not understand him. Kreitlein, unable to communicate in Spanish, lost patience and sent Rattin off for “violence of the tongue.”
Following the dismissal, play was interrupted for several minutes as Rattin, in a post-match reminiscence, described an incident of mischief: he reportedly twisted an English corner flag and later sat on a red carpet reserved for Queen Elizabeth II. “When I reached the corner, I twisted the English flag and insulted them,” he recalled years later. “Then I went over to the carpet the Queen used to enter the stadium and sat there for about five minutes. It was a very nice red carpet.” The friction over communication between Rattin and Kreitlein helped spur the introduction of red and yellow cards at the 1970 World Cup.
Rattin played 382 matches for Boca Juniors, scoring 28 goals and lifting four titles: the Primera División championships of 1962, 1964 and 1965, and the 1969 Copa Argentina. He was also part of Boca’s squad that finished as runners-up in the 1963 Copa Libertadores—the club’s first final in the continental competition, which they lost to Pelé’s Santos.
After hanging up his boots, Rattin remained with Boca as a coach during the 1980 season. He was widely regarded as a landmark figure in the Xeneize club’s history, and in 2015 a statue of him was unveiled at La Bombonera. Beyond football, Rattin pursued a political path, serving as a national deputy from 2001 to 2005.