1978: Argentina win a controversial World Cup beating Netherlands

Brazil 2014

SERIE A STARS IN THE WORLD CUP Many players that would become legends of Italian football shone in the tournament won by the Albiceleste

by Federico Formica

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After many attempts Argentina succeeded in hosting a World Cup in 1978. But things didn't go as FIFA hoped, since in 1974 – a few months after the assignment - the country fell under a cruel dictatorship led by general Jorge Videla. In those years, the regime made many dissidents disappear (the desaparecidos). The atmosphere was not as joyful as the previous World Cup and Argentina – although a strong side with players such as Kempes, Passarella, Ardiles and Bertoni – was manifestly helped by referees (not the first time for the host side...). Italy was the pleasant surprise of that tournament: the new coach Enzo Bearzot brought to South America a young and talented squad. It was the same group that would win the World Cup in Spain in 1982: Zoff, Scirea, Cabrini, Gentile, Antognoni, Tardelli, Causio and Paolo Rossi. For the first time since Pozzo's era, the Azzurri showed an inventive and pleasing football. The most important tactical innovation was the “mixed-zone”: zonal marking and endless movement on the pitch (as the Dutch tought) and hard man-marking inside the penalty box. Such bravery bore fruits as the Azzurri dominated the first Group defeating France, Hungary and Argentina.

In the final Group they placed second behind the Netherlands after having won against Austria, lost with the Oranje and drawn with West Germany. The Oranje reached the final, where they clashed with Argentina. In that World Cup, Netherlands was not as strong as four years before (due to Crujiff's absence) and, even though they played a beautiful football under Ernst Happel's lead, they lost their second final in a row. Once again, they surrended to the host national team. But the premises weren't good for the Dutchmen as the Argentinians challenged the choice of the Israeli referee Klein – who directed the only match lost by the Albiceleste in that tournament – and FIFA got along with their wishes, choosing the Italian ref Sergio Gonella. The Netherlands equalised Kempes' opener with the bench-warmer Nanninga. But Argentina won in the extra time with Kempes – who was the top goalscorer of the World Cup – and Bertoni. That was the first Cup for the Albiceleste, 48 years after their lost final to Uruguay in 1930. Debates lasted until the very final last minute of the tournament, because the Dutches refused to take part to the award ceremony not to shake Videla's hand and to protest against the one-way refereeing style adopted by Gonella.

Daniel Passarella, 1953. 70 caps and 22 goals for Argentina, world champion in 1978. The captain of Argentina in that triumphal World Cup was an Indium-faced 25 years old boy, known for his leadership. Daniel Passarella was one of the strongest sweepers between the 70s and the 80s. Rocky, authoritative, with his overflowing personality he lorded over his team-mates. But it wasn't only about personality. Passarella was reknown for his raids in the opponent's box and for his insight of the game. He was a game destroyer and a game builder at the same time. The 1978 World Cup was the peak of Passarella's career and after the 1982 World Cup in Spain he decided to make a breakthrough joining Serie A. He signed for Fiorentina, where he struggled initially as coach Giancarlo De Sisti limited his operating range. But in a few months he adapted to Italian calcio and returned to be the key defender he had always been. He scored 11 goals in 1985-86, a record (for a defender) which was broken only in 2000-2001 by Marco Materazzi. Passarella was loved by Fiorentina fans although he always had a bad relationship with the management. In 1986 he said farewell to join Inter, where he played two colourless seasons before going back to the club where he became a legend: River Plate.

Zico, 1953. 72 caps and 52 goals for Brazil. Can you imagine Neymar signing for Sunderland or Crystal Palace? That's what happened in 1983 when Arthur Antunes Coimbra, aka Zico, went to Udinese. Zico was one of the greatest players at that time and he chose a provincial side to put himself to the test in the hardest championship in Europe. Zico had it all: he was a goalscorer, he invented assists and had a creative playing style, he was a metronome and was deadly on set-pieces. His free kicks were perfect and only Maradona managed to reach his level in Italy. El Galinho (the cockerel) was a pillar of the Brazilian national team that reached the third place in Argentina, although he still played at Flamenco at that time. He showed his talents at Spain '82 as well, when the green-golden side was eliminated by Italy. In Udine Zico was welcomed as a king. For him, Udinese fans were ready to break up with Italy to join Austria.

They threatened it when the Italian football federation stopped Zico's transfer. Why? The Federation suspected that Udinese couldn't really afford the 6 billion Liras promised to Flamenco. At the end Zico was free to join the Friulani and he started to delight his fans (and every football fan). In his first season, Udinese reached the ninth place but Zico's personal outcome was positive as he scored 19 goals, one less than the top goalscorer Michel Platini. But his Italian fairy tale didn't last long because Zico's second season was his last. The management got torn into pieces by an inner battle between president and general manager. That unavoidably cause a dip in the squad's performances. Zico terminated his contract even before the end of the 1984-85 season and went back to Flamengo. Finally, he ended his career in Japan. Udine embraced and enjoyed many great footballers after the Brazilian in the following years: Marcio Amoroso, Oliver Bierhoff, Abel Balbo, Alexis Sanchez and Antonio Di Natale. But no one managed to equal Zico's legend. The “white Pelè”.

Gaetano Scirea, 1953-1989. 78 caps and 2 goals for Italy. World champion in 1982. The World Cup in Argentina was the first one for Scirea as Italy's bulward. Four years later he would became one of the Spain '82 heroes. But the world already had the chance to know an elegant, technically skilled and rocky sweeper in 1978. He was definitely a toughie, but not in the vein of Passarella. Scirea was an authentic gentleman, outside and in the pitch. He closed his career without a single yellow card in Serie A. Gaetano Scirea is still a Juventus legend. Along with Giampiero Boniperti and Alex Del Piero he's still one of the most beloved players by every fan of La Vecchia Signora.

He wore the Bianconero for 14 seasons, contributing to a wonderful winning spree. Numbers are impressive: “Gai” won 7 Italian titles, one UEFA Cup, one Cup Winners' Cup, one UEFA Supercup and one Intercontinental Cup. And we didn't mention that damned European Cup in the Heysel's night against Liverpool. Scirea gave it all for Juventus. Even his life. It was September 1989, Scirea had hung his boots just a few months earlier when he died in a car crash in Poland, where he went to examine Juve's next opponent in UEFA Cup, Gornik Zabrze. He was 36. There's nothing better than his team mates' words to describe Gai: “He was one of the greatest footballers in the world, but he was too modest to admit it, even to think about it” Marco Tardelli said. Marco Causio said: “He was shy, a very good person. Maybe, too good. I often told him to be more aggressive with his opponents, his serenity drove me mad. But he always answered with a smile, and he said: “I can't do it”.