Chelsea legend Peter Bonetti died at the age of 78 after a long illness. The goalkeeper has made seven appearances for England and was part of the Three Lions team which triumphed at the 1966 World Cup .
Chelsea paid tribute to Bonetti, who played 729 games with the club and was a “goalkeeper superstar of the 1960s and 1970s”.
All of us at Chelsea Football Club are deeply saddened to announce the passing of our brilliant former goalkeeper, Peter Bonetti, who made an incredible 729 appearances for the Blues…
— Chelsea FC – #StayHomeSaveLives (@ChelseaFC) April 12, 2020
A message on the Premier League team website said, “The Chelsea Football Club is very sad to announce the death today of one of our undoubted great players of all time, Peter Bonetti.”
“Our former goalkeeper suffered from a long-term illness. Everyone at Chelsea would like to extend our sincere and deep condolences to Peter’s family and friends. ”
Chelsea added: “Peter Bonetti’s position in the pantheon of Chelsea football gods is unassailable. It was the cat who broke the mold, challenged the odds, earned acclaim, and got the cream. All in front of an adorable Stamford Bridge. “
Bonetti was also the club’s first goalkeeper coach before helping Kevin Keegan in Newcastle United, Fulham, and Manchester City.
