*By Omolade Durojaiye
Former Mexico goalkeeper Antonio Carbajal, the first ever footballer to play in five World Cups, has died at the age of 93, according to reports 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, where 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 achieved his feat.
Antonio Carbajal however remains the only goalkeeper to attain this height.
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.
Carbajal became a World Cup legend despite never playing for a team that got past the group stage.
Starting out with Santa María de la Ribera in 1946, he moved to Necaxa later that year where his career really started to take off. His two year stay with Necaxa saw Carbajal called up to the Mexican Olympic team in 1948, but he did not appear in the tournament in London.
Following those Olympics, Antonio Carbajal moved on to the España club in Mexico where he stayed for another two seasons, and forced his way again into the national team for the World Cup finals in Brazil.
His full international debut came in the opening match against the host nation, where Mexico lost 4-0 although Carbajal could not be blamed for the loss. He played in all of Mexico’s group games, and following the tournament signed for León.
In 1952 Antonio Carbajal won his first major honour as León took the Mexican League title, and he also appeared in the first Panamerican Championship.