It’s a sunny Easter Sunday and we all thought we were going to be able to enjoy it in relative peace, but some tragic news has just emerged. Chelsea’s legendary former goalkeeper Peter Bonetti has died at 78 after a long illness.
Through thick and thin, with gloves and without as Chelsea put it in their tribute video below, the goalie made his debut as an 18 year old in 1960, kept a clean sheet, and never looked back.
He has the second most appearances of any Chelsea player ever – 729, and kept an astonishing clean sheet record that stood until Petr Cech broke it in 2014.
Bonetti was part of England’s 1966 World Cup winning squad too, and played in the 1970 quarter final against Germany.
As part of Chelsea’s first team he won the league cup in 1965, the Cup Winners’ Cup in 1971, and put in an all time great performance in the 1970 FA Cup final against Leeds, which saw the Blues lift that historic trophy for the first time.
One of Chelsea Football Club's greatest ever players.
Rest in peace, Peter 'the Cat' Bonetti. 💙 pic.twitter.com/OM48Dq2BXW
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC) April 12, 2020
A statement on the Chelsea website described the goalie’s “position in the pantheon of Chelsea footballing gods” as “unassailable”.
Rest in Peace, “The Cat.”
