Peter Bonetti, goalkeeper and second player with the most games played in the history of Chelsea , died this Sunday at the age of 78 due to a "long illness", as reported by the London team in a statement on its official website.

Bonetti debuted at Chelsea in 1959 and in 1975 left the English club to play a year at the American St. Louis Stars . He then returned to the team where he started his career at age 18 to add another three seasons to his resume and reach 729 games until 1979.

Later, he extended his years as a professional at Dundee United and in English Woking to retire in 1986 at 45 years of age and a record in which he highlights the 1971 European Cup Winners' Cup, the 1965 League Cup and the England Cup of 1970.

International with his country on seven occasions, he was part of the squad that conquered the World Cup in England in 1966 and played the championship of Mexico 1970. In the shadow of Gordon Banks, he could only play one World Cup match. He was a starter in the 1970 Mexico quarter-finals that England lost to Germany in overtime.

"Bonetti was a superstar for goalkeepers in the 60s and 70s . Small in position on the field but with an aura of glamor, he was technically innovative and incredibly brave." The Cat ", as he was known, was reassuring security among many discontents in a golden age for Chelsea, "the London club wrote in the aforementioned statement.

Chelsea also recalled the image of Bonetti in the repeat of the 1970 England Cup final, in which he played an injured part of the duel against Leeds United and described that meeting of his former goalkeeper as "heroic" before an audience " record "of 28 million viewers" captivated "by the action of the goalkeeper.

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