Cesar Luis Menotti, the legendary coach who led Argentina to victory in the 1978 World Cup, has passed away at the age of 85. During his playing days, Menotti was a striker for Brazilian side Santos and earned 11 international caps.
In 1974, Menotti took over as the coach of the Argentine national team and led them to a historic World Cup victory in 1978. Despite controversy surrounding his decision not to include a young Diego Maradona on the squad, Menotti’s leadership helped guide the team to victory with two goals from Mario Kempes. Kempes was named player of the tournament for his outstanding performance.
Menotti’s coaching career spanned over three decades and included stints in various countries such as Italy, Mexico, Uruguay, and Argentina. His tenure with Barcelona was particularly successful as he won two trophies during a two-season period.
Although Maradona was not included on the squad for the 1978 World Cup, he played a crucial role in helping Argentina win the Under-20 World Cup in 1979. However, Menotti’s tenure as coach ended after the 1982 World Cup in Spain where Argentina was eliminated by Brazil in the second round with Maradona receiving a red card.