Argentina’s players took the field for their World Cup quarter-final against Switzerland wearing black armbands, a gesture of mourning for Antonio Ubaldo Rattín, the former Argentina captain and Boca Juniors icon who had died hours earlier at the age of 89. FIFA approved the request from the Argentine Football Association (AFA), and a moment of silence was also observed before kick-off in memory of South African midfielder Jayden Adams, who had died during the tournament.

Rattín was defined by a singular loyalty: across 14 professional seasons he played exclusively for Boca, making 382 appearances and winning four league titles. With the national team, he won the 1964 Copa de las Naciones – a tournament hosted by Brazil that also featured England and Portugal – and captained Argentina at the 1966 World Cup. It was there, on 23 July 1966, that his name became permanently etched into football lore.

In the quarter-final against hosts England at Wembley, referee Rudolf Kreitlein sent off Rattín after the midfielder repeatedly protested what he and his team-mates saw as partisan officiating. No cards existed at the time; the German official’s decision was communicated verbally and, amid a language barrier, a confused standoff ensued. Rattín refused to leave the pitch, demanding an interpreter. When he eventually walked off, he crumpled a corner flag bearing the Union Jack and sat for several minutes on the red carpet reserved for Queen Elizabeth II. The images infuriated the home crowd and, less visibly, prompted Ken Aston – then head of FIFA’s refereeing committee – to devise the yellow and red card system, introduced at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.

In Argentina, Rattín’s death brought a flood of tributes. Boca Juniors described him as “an idol and emblem” and a statue at the club’s museum immortalised his legacy. The AFA and its president, Claudio Tapia, expressed their condolences, while former Boca president Mauricio Macri recalled his counsel. After retiring, Rattín briefly coached Boca before entering politics as a national deputy and local councillor. He had requested that no wake be held.

The black armbands worn in the quarter-final carried the memory of a man whose playing days bridged an era of amateurish organisation and the modern, codified game. As Argentina pursued a semi-final berth, the gesture ensured the ‘Rata’ – as Rattín was known – was present at another World Cup.