MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal, the first footballer to play in five World Cups, has died at the age of 93, local media announced on Tuesday.
‘Tota’, as Carbajal was known, appeared in goal for Mexico at the World Cups in Brazil 1950, Switzerland 1954, Sweden 1958, Chile 1962 and England 1966, in which he made 11 caps for his country.
Carbajal held the record of playing in five World Cups for 32 years until 1998 when German midfielder Lothar Matthaus reached the mark.
Carbajal’s compatriots Rafael Marquez and Andres Guardado, along with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have also since equalled his record.
Although Carbajal said he was scouted by Real Madrid between 1950 and 1954, the Mexican never left his domestic league and played most of his career in his hometown with Club Leon.
(Reporting by Janina Nuno Rios in Mexico City; Editing by Toby Davis)
