ARGENTINA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Argentine 1978 World Cup squad remembered in homage

Record ID: 255591

  • Title: ARGENTINA: FOOTBALL / SOCCER - Argentine 1978 World Cup squad remembered in homage
  • Date: 26th June 2013
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (JUNE 25, 2013) (REUTERS) MONUMENTAL STADIUM WHERE THE 1978 WORLD CUP FINAL WAS PLAYED RIVER PLATE CLUB BADGE VARIOUS OF 1978 WORLD CUP SQUAD ARGENTINE PLAYERS VARIOUS OF VETERAN PLAYERS WALKING ON FIELD (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UBALDO MATILDO FILLOL, NICKNAMED EL PATO, ARGENTINE FOOTBALL COACH AND FORMER GOALKEEPER, SAYING: "I am very hopeful this current national team reach the peak of their capacity within a year, in Rio de Janeiro and we can achieve the third longed for Olympic success and that this World Cup, definitely stays on this side of the world." VARIOUS OF FORMER PLAYERS ALBERTO CESAR TARANTINI, AMERICO GALLEGO, CESAR LUIS MENOTTI AND DANIEL PASSARELLA, R RECEIVING ARGENTINE TEAM JERSEY (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FORMER MIDFIELDER, DANIEL BERTONI, SAYING: "I have a lot of faith in them. I think a few adjustments should be made but I think Argentina is one team from the midfield back and from the midfield forward. I think having Messi (Barcelona's Argentina forward Lionel Messi), Aguero (Manchester City Argentine striker Sergio Aguero), Higuain (Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain) and it's a shame Tevez (Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez) is not around. But I think they are players who are respected in the world because there are a lot of goals in each championship and in each league." VARIOUS OF 1978 WORLD CUP ARGENTINE TEAM POSING FOR PHOTO
  • Embargoed: 11th July 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Sports
  • Reuters ID: LVA21887UYR1QWCYZX56A0PA67S9
  • Story Text: Members of Argentina's 1978 World Cup squad visited Buenos Aires' Monumental stadium on Tuesday (June 25) where they were honoured.
    Argentina's first World Cup victory in 1978 was a catharsis for fans desperate for a title to go with the belief their team was the best on the planet.
    The military dictatorship milked the 1978 World Cup finals at the height of their power for all it was worth.
    For Argentine soccer fans, Cesar Luis Menotti's team represented a victory for the people despite the military, ending 50 years of watching neighbours Uruguay and Brazil lift trophies, from the 1928 Olympic gold medal to the 1970 World Cup.
    Menotti, who was appointed coach in 1974, in his team talk before kickoff against the Dutch in the final at the Monumental, told the players to look at the stands and terraces to see who they were representing. They beat the Netherlands 3-1 in the tournament's final.
    Ubaldo Matildo Fillol, nicknamed El Pato, who is an Argentine football coach and former goalkeeper, said he hoped the World Cup would stay in the Americas.
    "I am very hopeful this current national team reach the peak of their capacity within a year, in Rio de Janeiro and we can achieve the third longed for Olympic success and that this World Cup, definitely stays on this side of the world."
    Former midfielder, Daniel Bertoni, told the media he had faith in the players.
    "I have a lot of faith in them. I think a few adjustments should be made but I think Argentina is one team from the midfield back and from the midfield forward. I think having Messi (Barcelona's Argentina forward Lionel Messi), Aguero (Manchester City Argentine striker Sergio Aguero), Higuain (Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain) and it's a shame Tevez (Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez) is not around. But I think they are players who are respected in the world because there are a lot of goals in each championship and in each league."
    The former golden players were given an Argentine team jersey before posing for a group photo.
    Paradoxically, the 1978 World Cup marked a before and after for the Argentine national team with Menotti, appointed in 1974, improving conditions for the players and giving the team the first proper preparation for the tournament.
    The previous years had been a dark period for the team with their failure to qualify for the 1970 tournament in Mexico where Brazil won their third title.
    Argentina had to make an unsettling change of coach in the build-up to the 1974 finals in West Germany and went out of the tournament after a crushing 4-0 defeat by Johan Cruyff's Netherlands.
    Menotti's team sparked a golden age with two titles from three finals in four tournaments and Diego Maradona as the standard bearer.
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