Godfathers of Football: César Luis Menotti - The Man Who Made Argentina Tango Again
In the 1970's under dictator Jorge Rafael Videla, Argentina sunk into financial crisis like they had never seen before, the gap between rich and poor widened to record levels and unaccounted Argentines disappeared, beaten to death by the police. Living in Argentina was a life and death struggle. Literally.
Slim, long-haired with a cigarette drooping out of his mouth as he conducted his players, César Luis Menotti was everything Argentina's dictatorship wasn't during the 1970s. Menotti was a socialist, a thinker, a rationalised football man who understood that the game acted as a social voice for the people when it felt that all hope had evaporated. He provided a platform for society to speak and when he spoke himself, quoted writers, musicians and poets to his players. Menotti was a shining light in Argentina's darkest time.
As globalisation enveloped the world and liberalism was surging across South America, Argentina had divided itself in to an 'absolute' state. You were either right-wing, like the dictatorship or a left-wing socialist- something that today's Twitter users will probably tell you. Amongst this climate, Menotti stood out as the only left-winger in a prominent position. As one of the country's most influential characters, he lead Argentina's band of merry men through a World Cup on their home turf that resulted in the greatest success. His appointment by the AFA was a radical decision, but it was the correct one.
Fresh off a disappointing campaign after 1974 World Cup, in which they had been knocked out by Rinus Michels wonderful Netherlands team, who we're playing 'Total Football', Menotti took the reigns of team at it's lowest ebb. Pressures to perform at home in a World Cup were monumental, especially under a dictatorship. Videla wanted to demonstrate to the World that all was fine in the country, despite well documented issues regarding the welfare of it's citizens and it's increasing international debt. It was up to Menotti to drag La Albiceleste off the floor and on to their own two feet for the biggest showpiece on earth.
Menotti was quoted as saying that "There's a right-wing football and a left-wing football. Right-wing football wants to suggest that life is struggle. It demands sacrifices. We have to become of steel and win by any method" - and Argentina were playing right-wing football at the time. They excelled in gamesmanship, winning hard rather than the showmanship that Menotti desired. They ran and ran until they won, the football was faceless and cold much like Videla and his regime. Argentina suffocated and kicked opponents until they gave in.
He revolutionised the team in the way that he so wished that Argentina would transform itself. El Flaco, the slim one, is an idealist. A romanticist who wanted his team to perform like the best orchestra, to understand that they operated as one. As combined force he emphasised the point of being, and playing like a collective. He would build Argentina to be reliant on ball movement, fluid football and above all slick passing. He once famously said that scoring a goal is one extra pass in to the net. And this desire to dominate teams and possession manifested itself in a free-flowing 4-3-3 that was short, direct and combined purpose with flair. Menotti's team blew through the World Cup at break-neck speeds - using overlapping runs, one-two's and one touch passing that rivals that of the best teams football has ever seen.
Menotti, unlike the Argentine government, had decentralised the national team by moving away from Buenos Aires and the big two of Boca Juniors and River Plate in order to scour for players who could play in his desired collective system. Using lesser-known players like Ossie Ardiles, of future Tottenham fame, Menotti transformed his team in to one decisive attacking speed. Ardiles played a major role during the World Cup, acting as the connector between the midfield and the attacking three, able to carry the ball long distances the diminutive Huracán midfielder conducted the play alongside Mario Kempes.
Ardiles, Kempes, Ortiz and a handful of others combined to make Argentina an exhilarating, scorching force that dominated the group stage and crushed Peru 6-0 to advance to the final against the Netherlands. There is some debate over whether Peru purposely lost my that margin... but that is for another time. They met their foe from 1974, the Netherlands, in the final. Menotti turned to gamesmanship delaying his players from entering the field of play and although he denies sending the Dutch team via the scenic route on the way to the stadium. The game was an attritional, tactical battle that was settled in extra-time thanks to strikes by Kempes and Bertoni. Menotti and Argentina secured an historic win on home turf, their first ever World title. The trophy was theirs and euphoria had been bought back to the Argentinian people once again.
At a time where joy and happiness had been sucked out of Argentina by a violent, tortuous regime, Menotti was the one to bring it back. His heart had been set on creating a team that won with swagger, with an identity of happiness and creative expressionism. His players freedom to demonstrate their finest instincts on the pitch overcame the previous pragmatism of the Zubeldía team that crashed out of 1974. Argentinians dance the tango in the ballrooms of Buenos Aires and Menotti's team replicated the passion and intensity of that very dance on the pitch in 1978. They drove, they passed, they flicked round and through some of the most pragmatic and talented teams in the World. They bought tears of joy back to people who had been repressed in their walks of lives, who had seen relatives and loved ones beaten and killed at the hands of the police for believing in something that went against the grain.
Menotti himself was that alternative. He didn't play with the negativity of his predecessors or his successors who tarnished so badly what Menotti had achieved with a group of players so talented. Argentinian football had tasted success but wanted to return to the sour tasting win by any means necessary football that so badly mirrored the cold, distant dictatorship that strangled the life out of it's people. Menotti had given society a platform to feel again and to express themselves in every day walks of life.
Whilst Menotti won footballs biggest prize, his trophy cabinet isn't exactly bulging but his importance in the football world surpasses managers who have won armfuls of trophies. Like Marcelo Bielsa and Arrigo Saachi, Menotti has helped to define the modern game without winning major trophies. Even today coaches quote Menotti as an influence, as a reference point for fluid, passing football using slick full-back movement to exploit other teams. To understand that football need to be played as a collective, with an ideal and ambition to become something to smile at and celebrate with. If football is the beautiful game, then Menotti must be credited as one of it's most influential personas, sweeping the pragmatists aside with one big brush stroke.
His legacy will always be remembered as the man who made Argentina tango once again.
Slim, long-haired with a cigarette drooping out of his mouth as he conducted his players, César Luis Menotti was everything Argentina's dictatorship wasn't during the 1970s. Menotti was a socialist, a thinker, a rationalised football man who understood that the game acted as a social voice for the people when it felt that all hope had evaporated. He provided a platform for society to speak and when he spoke himself, quoted writers, musicians and poets to his players. Menotti was a shining light in Argentina's darkest time.
As globalisation enveloped the world and liberalism was surging across South America, Argentina had divided itself in to an 'absolute' state. You were either right-wing, like the dictatorship or a left-wing socialist- something that today's Twitter users will probably tell you. Amongst this climate, Menotti stood out as the only left-winger in a prominent position. As one of the country's most influential characters, he lead Argentina's band of merry men through a World Cup on their home turf that resulted in the greatest success. His appointment by the AFA was a radical decision, but it was the correct one.
Fresh off a disappointing campaign after 1974 World Cup, in which they had been knocked out by Rinus Michels wonderful Netherlands team, who we're playing 'Total Football', Menotti took the reigns of team at it's lowest ebb. Pressures to perform at home in a World Cup were monumental, especially under a dictatorship. Videla wanted to demonstrate to the World that all was fine in the country, despite well documented issues regarding the welfare of it's citizens and it's increasing international debt. It was up to Menotti to drag La Albiceleste off the floor and on to their own two feet for the biggest showpiece on earth.
Menotti was quoted as saying that "There's a right-wing football and a left-wing football. Right-wing football wants to suggest that life is struggle. It demands sacrifices. We have to become of steel and win by any method" - and Argentina were playing right-wing football at the time. They excelled in gamesmanship, winning hard rather than the showmanship that Menotti desired. They ran and ran until they won, the football was faceless and cold much like Videla and his regime. Argentina suffocated and kicked opponents until they gave in.
He revolutionised the team in the way that he so wished that Argentina would transform itself. El Flaco, the slim one, is an idealist. A romanticist who wanted his team to perform like the best orchestra, to understand that they operated as one. As combined force he emphasised the point of being, and playing like a collective. He would build Argentina to be reliant on ball movement, fluid football and above all slick passing. He once famously said that scoring a goal is one extra pass in to the net. And this desire to dominate teams and possession manifested itself in a free-flowing 4-3-3 that was short, direct and combined purpose with flair. Menotti's team blew through the World Cup at break-neck speeds - using overlapping runs, one-two's and one touch passing that rivals that of the best teams football has ever seen.
Menotti, unlike the Argentine government, had decentralised the national team by moving away from Buenos Aires and the big two of Boca Juniors and River Plate in order to scour for players who could play in his desired collective system. Using lesser-known players like Ossie Ardiles, of future Tottenham fame, Menotti transformed his team in to one decisive attacking speed. Ardiles played a major role during the World Cup, acting as the connector between the midfield and the attacking three, able to carry the ball long distances the diminutive Huracán midfielder conducted the play alongside Mario Kempes.
Ardiles, Kempes, Ortiz and a handful of others combined to make Argentina an exhilarating, scorching force that dominated the group stage and crushed Peru 6-0 to advance to the final against the Netherlands. There is some debate over whether Peru purposely lost my that margin... but that is for another time. They met their foe from 1974, the Netherlands, in the final. Menotti turned to gamesmanship delaying his players from entering the field of play and although he denies sending the Dutch team via the scenic route on the way to the stadium. The game was an attritional, tactical battle that was settled in extra-time thanks to strikes by Kempes and Bertoni. Menotti and Argentina secured an historic win on home turf, their first ever World title. The trophy was theirs and euphoria had been bought back to the Argentinian people once again.
At a time where joy and happiness had been sucked out of Argentina by a violent, tortuous regime, Menotti was the one to bring it back. His heart had been set on creating a team that won with swagger, with an identity of happiness and creative expressionism. His players freedom to demonstrate their finest instincts on the pitch overcame the previous pragmatism of the Zubeldía team that crashed out of 1974. Argentinians dance the tango in the ballrooms of Buenos Aires and Menotti's team replicated the passion and intensity of that very dance on the pitch in 1978. They drove, they passed, they flicked round and through some of the most pragmatic and talented teams in the World. They bought tears of joy back to people who had been repressed in their walks of lives, who had seen relatives and loved ones beaten and killed at the hands of the police for believing in something that went against the grain.
Menotti himself was that alternative. He didn't play with the negativity of his predecessors or his successors who tarnished so badly what Menotti had achieved with a group of players so talented. Argentinian football had tasted success but wanted to return to the sour tasting win by any means necessary football that so badly mirrored the cold, distant dictatorship that strangled the life out of it's people. Menotti had given society a platform to feel again and to express themselves in every day walks of life.
Whilst Menotti won footballs biggest prize, his trophy cabinet isn't exactly bulging but his importance in the football world surpasses managers who have won armfuls of trophies. Like Marcelo Bielsa and Arrigo Saachi, Menotti has helped to define the modern game without winning major trophies. Even today coaches quote Menotti as an influence, as a reference point for fluid, passing football using slick full-back movement to exploit other teams. To understand that football need to be played as a collective, with an ideal and ambition to become something to smile at and celebrate with. If football is the beautiful game, then Menotti must be credited as one of it's most influential personas, sweeping the pragmatists aside with one big brush stroke.
His legacy will always be remembered as the man who made Argentina tango once again.
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