The world of football lost one of its greatest geniuses. This Sunday, May 5, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) confirmed the news of death of César Luis Menottiwho was world champion in 1978. The remembered former coach served as director of the different Albiceleste national teams.
At the age of 85, ‘Flaco’, as he was nicknamed, died after several health complications in recent months. “#DeepPain The Argentine Football Association regrets to report with great sadness the death of César Luis Menotti, current Director of National Teams and former World Champion coach of Argentina “Goodbye, Flaco dear!”, the AFA published in a statement released on social networks.
Menotti He is remembered not only for being the precursor to the first world title of the Albiceleste, but also for his extensive knowledge in direction and management. He managed to promote a football school and style that endures to this day, which curiously contrasts with that of another South American football hero: Carlos Salvador Bilardo.
Precisely in 2020, the man from Rosario spoke in The Caracol Radio Extension on different topics related to Colombian soccer. From the country’s historical relationship with Argentina to the present of figures like James Rodríguez, who at that time was about to put an end to his path with Real Madrid.
The talk began with the memory of one of the most important times in the history of the FPC: El Dorado. Menotti stated that at that time “there were no Colombian players in Argentina,” because it was the Argentines themselves who arrived in the country. “Colombia received thousands and thousands of footballers from the time of Pedernera, Di Stéfano. It was a place where Argentina sent the best playersas it was a very difficult time to explain with strikes,” he stated.
In this exponential growth of national talent, two coaches appeared who gave a leap in quality to the talent that was beginning to be seen over the years: Francisco Maturana and José Néstor Pékerman.
About ‘Pacho’ he mentioned: “I met Maturana when he managed Atlético de Madrid. He was a young coach, who came to see Atlético’s training sessions. Afterwards we have had a historical relationship. We don’t see each other many times, but I have had Colombian players”.
De Pékerman stated: “I know him from when he started coaching lower divisions and national teams. He is prepared for what he is doing and what he did. He has lived with 20 years of experience in the history of football, so he has all the necessary merits to be in the places he occupied”.
Finally, César Luis Menotti He took the opportunity to refer to the great recent ’10’ that the Colombian National Team has had: Carlos Valderrama and James Rodríguez. He thought of both of them that they were ball geniuses and this was evidenced by his statements.
About him ‘Kid‘He remembered an anecdote with Romario, Brazilian legend of FC Barcelona: “I once managed a team in which Valderrama and Romario played together. We were eating afterwards and Romario said that if he had been a great scorer playing for Barcelona, he could not imagine the goals he would have scored playing with Valderrama. “It was that team that I directed that was the rest of America with the rest of Europe.”
Regarding James, he acknowledged that it was “an excellent footballer”, which he had demonstrated not only in the 2014 World Cup, but in the teams he played. In his opinion, the little continuity that he began to see during those years was due to the fact that “Players, no matter how talented they are, need a collective idea”.
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From then on, Menotti saw that it was not enough for the Cucuteño midfielder to be a very good player, but that he had to complement that with a commitment to the club and vice versa. That is to say, his talent was of no use if he did not serve the group; In turn, he was no use if the same group did not help to empower him.
“You can play the violin very well, but if you don’t rehearse or have anyone to accompany you, it becomes difficult. One always has to prioritize the team over individuals. He is an excellent footballer, I don’t need to say it. Now, football also needs teams,” he explained.
He even encouraged himself to compare the situation with that of Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona: “It seems like we are talking about a footballer who is growing, he is in a place that he earned. Now, to be able to sustain yourself you also have to have what Messi had, for example. He was on a team where he started since he was 16 years old and he played with the best and it was always a solid team. He had Guardiola as a coach for I don’t know how many years, who supported him and put together great teams. Sometimes for the footballer, there is a moment when he needs more from the team than from himself.”.
Curiously, ‘Flaco”s “premonition” ended up close to reality. James Rodriguez That same year he went to Evertonwhere he broke it thanks to the trust of Carlo Ancelotti. Unfortunately the Italian left and replaced him Rafa Benitezwith whom there was never any trust and the Colombian ended up leaving.
From there he went to Qatar’s Al-Rayyan in 2021the following year he went to Olympiakos (2022) and in 2023 ended up moving to Sao Paulowhere he operates today.
