We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former England goalkeeper Peter Bonetti, who has died at the age of 78.
Bonetti won seven caps for the Three Lions across a four-year period, and was part of our World Cup-winning squad of 1966.
Born in Putney, Bonetti began his playing days in the youth team of Worthing – where his family had relocated in his youth – before he joined Reading, where he was spotted by Chelsea.
He made his professional debut in 1960 to begin a 19-year association with the Blues, making more than 700 appearances either side of a short spell in America with the St. Louis Stars.
Nicknamed 'the cat', Bonetti made his international debut in July 1966 – weeks before the start of that year's World Cup finals – in a 2-0 win over Denmark in Copenhagen, making him the 846th man to represent England at senior level.
Then aged 24, Bonetti was included in Sir Alf Ramsey's squad for the tournament as back-up to Gordon Banks and Ron Springett. He was an unused substitute throughout the finals as the Three Lions won their first-ever World Cup title.
Bonetti continued to play understudy to Banks after the tournament but did make a handful of appearances over the next few years, including in a 2-1 win in Spain that secured qualification for the 1968 European Championship finals, where England finished third.
He was included in the squad for the 1970 FIFA World Cup with an impressive record of one goal conceded in his six appearances to date. Bonetti was famously thrust into the starting XI for the quarter-final against West Germany after Banks was ruled out due to a stomach problem, but England were beaten 3-2.
That would ultimately prove to be Bonetti's last appearance for his country, as Peter Shilton emerged to challenge Banks for the number-one jersey and would eventually go on to be the country's most-capped male player.
Bonetti left Chelsea in 1979 to end a spell with the club in which he won The FA Cup, the League Cup, the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup and two promotions from the second division. He later came out of retirement twice, for brief spells with Dundee United and – as a 45 year-old – non-league Woking.
He would go on to become a goalkeeping coach, first with Chelsea and then as part of Kevin Keegan's staff at Newcastle United, Fulham and Manchester City as well as a spell working with the national team.
In 2009, Bonetti was one of 11 former England players and staff invited to 10 Downing Street to be honoured for their part in England's 1966 World Cup triumph. This followed a campaign by The FA for FIFA to issue medals to World Cup squad members who did not start in the final, which was not the case until 1974.
Bonetti will be immortalised as one of the few Englishmen to wear a World Cup winners' medal and, but for the misfortune of having some illustrious competition, would undoubtedly have won many more caps for his country. He will be remembered as one of England's best goalkeepers.
FA Chairman Greg Clarke said: "I am very saddened to hear that Peter Bonetti has passed away. Part of our 1966 World Cup-winning squad, he was not only a wonderful goalkeeper but also a hugely-popular figure in the English game.
"Of course, he served Chelsea to distinction over many years, and as a young boy I can remember watching his superb performance in their 1965 League Cup win against Leicester City. My thoughts are with his family and friends today."
