The Chelsea stalwart died after a long illness at the age of 78. He was known for his safe handling, lightning reflexes and his graceful style, which earned him the affectionate nickname of ”The Cat”.
He made seven appearances for England and was part of the Three Lions squad that triumphed in the 1966 World Cup.
One of his international caps was against Portugal in December 1969 at Wembley when Jackie Charlton scored the only goal of the game from a corner taken by his brother Bobby Charlton.
In the 1971 UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup Final replay, the first game finished 1-1, against Spanish giants Real Madrid in Athens an inspired performance from Bonetti helped the underdogs Chelsea to a remarkable 2–1 victory.
His last game in goal for Chelsea was against Arsenal in May 1979; his 729th appearance for the club, during which he had kept clean sheets in 200 matches, conceding one goal or fewer in more than two-thirds of the games.