Sun. Dec 22nd, 2024

Cesar Luis Menotti, the coach who led Argentina to their first World Cup title in 1978, has died at the age of 85.

The Argentine Football Federation announced the news of his death, expressing deep sadness and sorrow at the passing of this distinguished football figure.

Menotti captained Argentina’s national team between 1974 and 1983, building a team that won the World Cup on home soil in a historic 3-1 final against the Netherlands.

That tournament was marked by the absence of Dutch star Johan Cruyff and the shine of Mario Kempes as the best player of the tournament.

Menotti’s coaching career continued, where he also coached Mexico, leading 11 clubs over 37 years.

Born on November 5, 1938, Menotti was nicknamed “The Flaco” (The Slender) and began his football career as a player before turning to coaching, where he was known for his style of focusing on attacking play and retaining the ball and is a great supporter of beautiful football.

Menotti was distinguished by his bold decisions such as not calling Diego Maradona for the 1978 tournament due to his young age, considering that Maradona was not yet ready for global competitions, a decision that sparked wide controversy at the time.

Menotti continued to influence Argentine and world football through his role as an analyst and critic.

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