Fernando Czyz
Buenos Aires, May 5 (EFE) .- One year after his death, Argentina remembers César Luis Menotti, coach of the ‘Albiceleste’ in his first World Cup triumph (1978), promoter of a style of play that came to the present and considered by many as the great “refundor” of the football of the South American country.
Although in his 85 years of life ‘El César’ he had the 1978 World Cup as greater professional achievement, his career was marked by numerous memorable moments and an impact that still keeps him alive in his country’s football.
Menotti, who at the time of his death on May 5, 2024 served as director of Selections of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), had his command the leadership of the Argentine national Team between 1974 and 1982, in addition to directing in his country Newell’s Old Boys, hurricane, Boca Juniors, River Plate, Independiente and Rosario Central.
His career as a coach also had experiences beyond the Argentine borders, in Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid (Spain), Peñarol (Uruguay), Sampdoria (Italy), the Mexican National Team, Puebla and Tecos (Mexico), last club until its retirement as a coach in 2017.
In his extensive career as a coach, in addition to the 1978 World Cup, he only obtained three trophies with Barcelona (1982-1983), two with Argentine youth selected (1979 with Diego Armando Maradona as Estrella and in 1982) and one on the hurricane bench, at the head of a memorable team that was crowned champion in 1973 and that catapulted him shortly after the Argentine team.
“Menotti meant for Argentine football the man who refounded a selection that came in crisis, humiliated against Holland in 1974 and without qualifying to the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. Of those ashes, with players who did not want to go to represent the country and clubs that did not want to give up their figures, Menotti built four selections (youth, metropolitan, Santa Fe and the interior) 1978, “Ezequiel Fernández Moores, a Argentine journalist who has just published a biography of the coach, told Ezequiel.
“This recast included the obligation to assign players, sanctions to those clubs that did not, demanded a long -term contract until the World Cup. In short, it gave seriousness to the work of the national team. And from that, the selection changed that state of disinterest (..) and became a priority in Argentine football,” added the journalist, who titled the biography ‘Menotti, the first. History of a technician who refounded the selection. ‘
Fernández Moores also highlighted the impact that Menotti’s introduction in a novel, more colorful, offensive and creative playing style had on Argentine football, different from the European style that was imposed at the time: “He recovered what he called ‘ours’, a way of understanding and playing football, an opposite way that the English founding teachers taught us, which was a more physical football and then more vertical, less vertical, less vertical. less technical “.
That style, many defend in the South American country, has reached the present and characterized even the Argentine team that was crowned in the 2022 World Cup.
As a player, the ‘Skinny’ served as a midfielder and debuted in 1960 in Rosario Central, in his native rosary, and then went through Racing Club, Boca Juniors, New York Generals (United States), Santos -do was a companion of Pelé- and Juventus (Brazil).
In addition, he had a two -year step by the Argentine team, including in the 1963 South American in Bolivia in which the ‘Albiceleste’ finished third.
In his short career prior to his retirement in 1970 with only 31 years, Menotti reaped two titles at club level: the First Division tournament with Boca Juniors in 1965 and the Paulista Championship with Santos in 1968.
During the last stage of his life, the ‘Flaco’ adopted a role closer to the leadership, as a manager.
In this role, he had two experiences: in Independiente (2009-2010) and with the Argentine National Team (2019-2024), in a golden stage where the Albicelestes showcases added the 2022 World Cup, the Copa América 2021, the 2022 finalissima, the South American Sub-17 in 2019, in addition to the 2019 Pan American Games and the 2020 Pre-Olympic Tournament with the Sub-23 team.
In 2022, in a list published by World Soccer, he was chosen as the 22nd most important coach of all time, resulting in the favorite Argentine, with four votes, and the third South American behind the Brazilians Mario Zagallo (9 votes) and Telephone Santana (8). EFE
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