The tournament they couldn’t lose
Although it has never been proven beyond doubt, rumblings persist that Argentina’s glorious hosting and victory in the 1978 World Cup is not all that it seems.
At the time of the tournament, Argentina was in a state of political flux. The military had overthrown the government in 1976 and there were widespread reports that political unrest had resulted in thousands of political murders.
Many countries threatened to pull out of the tournament but none actually did. Holland’s star player Johan Cruyff and Afroed German Paul Breitner were the only players to follow through on their moral instinct and boycott the event.
Explaining the philosophy of his government, Argentina’s leader General Jorge Rafael Videla said: “As many people as necessary must die in Argentina so that the country will again be secure.” As many as 30 000 are estimated to have lost their lives during the junta’s reign, some of which were butchered during the World Cup itself.
The stranglehold that the Argentine leader had over the people extended to the World Cup. Realising the immense power of sport as propaganda over the populace, it was a tournament they couldn’t – and didn’t – lose.
In the midst of many strange decisions in favour of the Argentines. The most suspicious was the final second round group game against Peru. With the hosts needing to win by four clear goals to claim a place in the final, the ‘dispirited’ Peruvians lost the game 6-0.
According to Argentine investigative journalist Maria Laura Avignolo, General Videla offered the Peruvians 35,000 tonnes of grain to be shipped from Argentina to Peru, $50m of credits to be unfrozen and substantial bribes paid directly to Peruvian officials from accounts held by the Argentine navy. The players allegedly received $20 000 each to lose.
The final itself was a suspicious affair. In an article in the Financial Times, legendary journalist Brian Glanville, suggests that many of the Argentina players may have taken performance enhancing drugs.
He said: “Argentina were dead at the end of 90 minutes. Then suddenly they came out for extra time recharged. How that happened I just don’t know. It seems physically quite unfeasible. They were by far the more vigorous team in extra time.
“Far more pace and running than Holland. But if they took any kind of stimulants, I would have thought it was very difficult for them to take it before the beginning of extra time. And if they had taken them earlier, why hadn’t they shown earlier? I can’t answer that. But I did find it extremely odd and I still do.”
With the World Cup secure the junta were more secure than ever, as was corruption’s grip on the integrity of the beautiful game.
leighthejournalist 