The former Boca juniors and the Argentine goalkeeper Hugo Gatti died at the age of 80 after complications of a respiratory infection.
Gatti was in Buenos Aires in the hospital for two months. On Sunday, according to media sources, his family decided to remove him from a respiratory protection masks. The former shooting stopper had suffered a public accident in February, which led to a serious infection that proved to be fatal.
Gatti known as “El Loco” for his extravagant style on and next to the field and remains the most packed player in Argentina’s top flight. 765 appearances in a 26-year career.
He played over 400 games for Boca Juniors and won three league titles and three important international trophies, including the back-to-back copa Libertadores victories in 1977 and 1978. Maradona During the club’s title campaign from 1981.
Gatti, a pioneer of the role of the “tweer goalkeeper”, often played high on the field and was just as comfortable with the ball at his feet as many outdoor field player a rarity in his time.
He also represented Argentina 14 times between 1967 and 1977 and after retirement, he became a familiar face on Spanish television, which was known for his open opinions and his survival -sized presence.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei, a Boca fan and former amateur goalkeeper himself, was one of the first to pay tribute. He posted a photo of Gatti on social media and wrote: “Farewell, colleague (if I say it).”
