Antonio Rattín: Mourning for the 'godfather' of the red card

The football world mourns the passing of Antonio Rattín, the Argentine midfielder whose legendary defiance in the 1966 World Cup match against England is credited with prompting the introduction of red and yellow cards. Rattín died at the age of 89.

Rattín, a native of Tigre, a province near Buenos Aires, became an unforgettable figure in football history following his infamous confrontation with German referee Rudolf Kreitlein during the 1966 World Cup quarter-final. England ultimately won the match 1-0. The referee had already issued verbal warnings to Rattín twice. However, in a heated moment, Rattín continued to verbally abuse the official, leading to his expulsion from the game.

Known for his stubbornness, Rattín refused to leave the pitch for several minutes. Even his teammates could not persuade him to depart, and English police officers eventually had to intervene. As he finally left the field, Rattín crumpled an English flag, an act that reportedly pushed the football world's governing body, FIFA, to implement the yellow and red card system to clearly signify warnings and dismissals.

Rattín played 34 times for the Argentine national team, captaining them during the 1966 tournament. He spent his entire club career with Boca Juniors, where he was a prominent figure for the "Xeneizes."

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With great sadness, we bid farewell to Antonio Ubaldo Rattín, the idol and figurehead of our club.