Argentina 1978
Rating: 8/10
Champion: Argentina
Argentina won their first World Cup, defeating the Netherlands 3-1 at home. Two years before the tournament was played, Argentina had undergone a military coup with a number of teams debating whether they should boycott. In the end, none did.
Host: Argentina
Argentina won the right to host the World Cup when Mexico withdrew from the bidding process after having been awarded the 1970 tournament two years earlier.
Best player: Mario Kempes (Argentina)
The striker was named top scorer after tallying six goals at the tournament. He scored two goals in the final and also won the Golden Ball as tournament MVP. He remains on of the flashiest and lethal strikers ever to emerge from South America.
Iconic moment:
In the dying seconds of a first-round game between Brazil and Sweden, Zico headed in a corner kick for a goal. The referee disallowed the Brazilian goal, insisting he had whistled the end of the game while the ball was in the air. The final score remained 1-1.
Quality of play:
The Dutch continued to employ “Total Football” to great effect despite the absence of Johan Cryuff. Argentina’s 4-3-3 under coach Cesar Luis Menotti proved both entertaining and lethal as Kempes proved unstoppable in the final third. Team captain Daniel Passarella remains one of the best defenders in World Cup history. Italy’s fine display, which resulted in a fourth-place finish, would be a prelude of things to come four years later.
Kits:
Given it was winter in South America, team shirts featured long sleeves. France’s green-and-white stripes were just plain weird.
Miscellaneous:
All of Argentina’s games kicked off in the evening, giving them an advantage of already knowing other results in their group. Needing to win their final second round game 4-0 against Peru to reach the final, Argentina went on to post a 6-0 victory that some believe was fixed. FIFA changed the rules ahead of the 1982 World Cup.