Mexican footballer (1929?2023)
In this
Spanish name
, the first or paternal
surname
is
Carbajal
and the second or maternal family name is
Rodriguez
.
Antonio Felix
"
Tota
"
Carbajal Rodriguez
(
Spanish pronunciation:
[an?tonjo
ka?βa?xal]
; 7 June 1929 ? 9 May 2023) was a Mexican professional
footballer
who played as a
goalkeeper
.
[1]
He was also called
"El Cinco Copas"
, in reference to his
record
of having played five
World Cups
.
[2]
Club career
[
edit
]
Born in
Mexico City
, Carbajal became a professional footballer with the local
Club Espana
in 1948,
[3]
after having been in the squad that participated at the
Olympic tournament in 1948
. After the disappearance of
Espana
in 1950, he joined
Club Leon
, where he would remain until the end of his career.
[
citation needed
]
International career
[
edit
]
Carbajal made his international debut with the
Mexico national team
in the
Maracana Stadium
in
Rio de Janeiro
on 24 June 1950, against World Cup hosts
Brazil
. He was the youngest goalkeeper to play in that tournament, at the age of 23. He appeared in one match at the 1954 World Cup, against
France
, and in three at the 1958 tournament; at the
1962 World Cup
in Chile, he became the
first footballer ever
to appear in four World Cups, also helping his team win its first-ever World Cup match
[4]
when they defeated
Czechoslovakia
3?1 in the first round. Four years later Carbajal, aged 39, established another mark with his fifth World Cup appearance. That record was equaled by German player
Lothar Matthaus
in
1998
, by his compatriot
Rafael Marquez
in
2018
, in
2022
by Argentine
Lionel Messi
, Portuguese
Cristiano Ronaldo
and another compatriot in
Andres Guardado
. In 2015
Homare Sawa
and
Formiga
became the first footballers to appear for a record sixth time at the
2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
in Canada.
[5]
In total, Carbajal appeared in 48 international matches for Mexico. In 11 World Cup matches from 1950 to 1966, he conceded 25 goals, a record that was tied by Saudi goalkeeper
Mohamed Al-Deayea
in 2002.
[6]
Managerial career
[
edit
]
After retiring as a player, he became a manager in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s with Club Leon,
Union de Curtidores
,
Atletas Campesinos
and
Atletico Morelia
. He twice won both the Copa Mexico as Campeon de Campeones with Club Leon in the early 1970s. Then he managed
Union de Curtidores
in the only two seasons this club advanced to the play-offs, and was awarded Primera Division's best coach one time. He achieved the championship in Segunda Division with
Atletas Campesinos
in partnership with Antonio Ascencio.
[
citation needed
]
During the
1984?85
season, Carbajal was appointed as manager for
Atletico Morelia
; he helped the team avoid relegation in his first season. He went on to manage the team for over a decade, where the team qualified various times to the postseason, including two semi-finals.
[7]
[8]
Personal life and death
[
edit
]
Carbajal died on 9 May 2023, at the age of 93. He had been hospitalised the week prior with blood pressure problems.
[9]
From January 2023 until his death in May 2023, Carbajal was the last surviving player from the 1950 World Cup.
[10]
Managerial statistics
[
edit
]
|
From
|
To
|
Record
|
G
|
Pld
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
Win %
|
GF
|
GA
|
+/-
|
Leon
1
|
1969
|
1969
|
18
|
9
|
4
|
5
|
50%
|
27
|
18
|
+9
|
Leon
2
|
1970
|
1972
|
82
|
36
|
24
|
22
|
43.9%
|
154
|
109
|
+45
|
Union de Curtidores
3
|
1974
|
1977
|
156
|
49
|
52
|
55
|
31.4%
|
222
|
214
|
+8
|
Leon
4
|
1978
|
1979
|
18
|
9
|
1
|
8
|
50%
|
23
|
29
|
-6
|
Atletas Campesinos
5
|
1980
|
22 June 1980
|
8
|
6
|
1
|
1
|
75%
|
15
|
4
|
+11
|
Atletico Morelia
6
|
5 January 1985
|
23 September 1995
|
440
|
139
|
149
|
152
|
31.6%
|
589
|
629
|
-40
|
Career
|
722
|
248
|
231
|
243
|
34.3%
|
1030
|
1003
|
+27
|
1
Includes results from season 1969-1970
Primera Division de Mexico
& cup tournament
2
Includes only results from 1970 to 1971 & 1971-72
Primera Division de Mexico
(regular seasons and play-offs), cup tournaments and Campeon de Campeones. It does not include results from Torneo Mexico 70 and 1972-73 Primera Division de Mexico's season
3
Includes results from Primera Division de Mexico (regular seasons and play-offs) and cup tournaments
4
Includes only results from 1978 to 1979
Primera Division de Mexico
. It does not include results from 1979 to 1980 Primera Division de Mexico
5
Includes only eight play-offs results from
Segunda Division de Mexico
6
Includes results from Primera Division de Mexico (regular seasons and play-offs), cup tournaments and 1988 CONCACAF Championship
Honours
[
edit
]
Player
[
edit
]
Leon
Individual
Manager
[
edit
]
Leon
Atletas Campesinos
Individual
- Citlalli Trophy (Best Coach): 1975-76
References
[
edit
]
External links
[
edit
]