The Argentine Football Association announced the death of former tango coach Cesar Luis Menotti, the champion of the 1978 World Cup, on Sunday. The local football association stated on its "X" platform that former Argentine national team coach Cesar Minotti, who led his country to its first World Cup title in 1978, passed away at the age of 85.
The association expressed: "The Argentine Football Association is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Luis Cesar Menotti, director of national teams and former coach who won the World Cup title." Minotti coached the Argentine national team from 1974 to 1983 and was the architect of the victory that secured the first World Cup title in 1978 against the Netherlands when he was 39 years old, before the Argentina national team added two more titles in 1986 and 2022 thanks to the legends Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi, respectively.
Minotti, who was a heavy smoker, coached 11 clubs during a career that spanned 37 years, some multiple times, as well as two national teams: Argentina and Mexico (1991-1992). However, his leadership of Argentina to the 1978 World Cup title on home soil during a time when the country was under a repressive military regime remains his most significant achievement.
In the final match, Argentina defeated the Netherlands 3-1 after extra time, with Mario Kempes, the tournament's best player, scoring two goals against the Dutch team, which missed its star "Flying" Johan Cruyff, who declined to play in the Argentine World Cup. Menotti decided not to call up Maradona, who was 17 at the time, despite the fact that he had made his debut for his country the previous year.
