Argentina is one of the most successful national teams in FIFA World Cup history. They have played in 17 World Cup tournaments and won the trophy twice, in 1978 and 1986. Despite their storied history, there has been some debate around whether or not those two World Cup wins should be counted as legitimate titles for Argentina. Some of the controversy stems from the political climate in Argentina during the 1970s, as well as allegations of match fixing.
In this 5000 word article, we will thoroughly examine Argentina’s World Cup history, analyze their two World Cup championship runs, and determine if they can rightfully claim to be two-time winners of the most prestigious tournament in international football.
Argentina’s World Cup History
Argentina played in the first ever World Cup in 1930, hosted by Uruguay. They reached the final against the hosts, but lost 4-2. After missing the next two editions, Argentina returned in 1950 but went out in the group stage. Four years later in Switzerland, they did not qualify for the knockout rounds again.
It was not until 1958 that Argentina made an impact at the World Cup again. Powered by legendary players like Omar Sivori and Antonio Angelillo, they finished in third place. In 1962 in Chile, a 17-year old Diego Maradona made his debut for Argentina but could not prevent a first round exit.
After three more unsuccessful campaigns in 1966, 1974 and 1970, Argentina was chosen as hosts for the 1978 World Cup. This tournament marked their return to glory.
1978 World Cup
The 1978 World Cup was held in Argentina from June 1-25, with matches played across Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata, Mendoza, Rosario and Córdoba.
Despite high political tensions and unrest in the country, Argentina was able to host an efficient World Cup under the military dictatorship that had recently come to power. General Jorge Rafael Videla used the global sporting event as an opportunity to whitewash the grim human rights situation in the country. Opponents of the regime were often imprisoned, tortured and “disappeared” during Argentina’s infamous Dirty War from 1974-1983.
On the pitch, Argentina was led by the talented Mario Kempes along with Osvaldo Ardiles and Daniel Passarella. They topped Group 1 ahead of Poland, France and Hungary without losing a single game. In the second round, they beat Peru 6-0, but then lost to Italy in one of the most famous matches in World Cup history.
Despite their loss, Argentina advanced to the final to face Netherlands. Back on home soil at River Plate’s Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires, Kempes inspired Argentina to a 3-1 victory after extra time to claim their first ever World Cup title. Kempes finished as top scorer with 6 goals and also won the Golden Ball as best player.
The 1978 championship remains controversial to this day. There are allegations that Argentina’s military junta may have influenced Peru to lose by a large margin in order to help the host nation progress in the tournament. However, no concrete evidence of match fixing has ever surfaced.
Nonetheless, Argentina’s first World Cup title was immortalized in history, no matter the circumstances under which it was achieved.
1986 World Cup
After failing to qualify for the 1982 tournament, Argentina returned to form in 1986 and added another World Cup star above their crest. The 1986 edition was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29.
Argentina was once again led by a superstar forward, this time by Diego Maradona, considered one of the greatest to ever play the game. The squad also included Jorge Valdano and Jorge Burruchaga.
They finished atop Group A, setting up a knockout stage battle with eternal rivals Uruguay, whom they defeated 1-0 in Puebla. In the quarterfinals against England, Maradona scored two of the most infamous goals in history – the Hand of God illegal goal, followed by the Goal of the Century after dribbling through the entire English team.
Argentina then beat Belgium 2-0 in the semifinals to reach the World Cup final for the second consecutive tournament. In front of over 114,000 fans at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, Argentina defeated West Germany 3-2 to claim their second World Cup championship. Maradona was named player of the tournament, capping off his legendary performance.
Unlike 1978, there was no controversy surrounding their second star. Maradona and Argentina won the trophy outright, cementing their place in history as one of the all-time great World Cup winners.
Debating Argentina’s Legitimacy as Two-Time Winners
Despite winning the World Cup trophy twice, there are some who believe Argentina should not necessarily be credited with two legitimate titles. The arguments primarily surround the context of the 1978 championship on home soil.
Here is an overview of the key debates around Argentina’s claim as two-time winners:
1. Human Rights Abuses
The 1978 World Cup took place under a ruthless military dictatorship accused of thousands of human rights violations against political dissidents. Holding such a global tournament implicitly condoned their actions. For that reason, some believe Argentina’s 1978 win deserves an asterisk.
2. Home Field Advantage
As hosts, Argentina clearly enjoyed advantages in 1978 that aided their path to victory. They did not need to travel or acclimate to new conditions for their matches. The final was also played in Buenos Aires in front of a majority Argentinian crowd, providing a further edge.
3. Match Fixing Rumors
Although never proven, there were rumors that Argentina’s military junta influenced Peru to lose 6-0 in the second round in order to ensure the host nation advanced. If true, this puts their legitimacy in question.
4. Controversial Refereeing
Some of the refereeing decisions, especially in Argentina’s 2-1 win over Poland in the first round, were deemed questionable and suggestive of potential home cooking. This casts doubt over whether they won entirely fairly.
5. Qualification Process Issues
Unlike today where qualification is merit-based, the 1978 qualification process involved controversies like Africa and Asia boycotting in protest. This led to weaker teams qualifying over stronger ones, arguably weakening the field for Argentina to win against.
6. Hyperinflation Currency Advantage
Due to hyperinflation in Argentina, the local currency declined rapidly ahead of the 1978 tournament. This allowed Argentina to spend excessively on infrastructure and preparations using cheap currency, possibly creating an unfair advantage relative to other teams.
In Defense of Argentina’s Titles
While there may be doubts cast over the 1978 championship in particular, there are counterarguments defending Argentina’s status as two-time winners from a purely footballing perspective:
1. Beat All Comers
Regardless of outside circumstances, Argentina beat every opponent they faced on the pitch in both 1978 and 1986. The trophy is awarded based on on-field performance, and they earned it those years through results.
2. Kempes/Maradona Brilliance
In both championship runs, Argentina was led by global superstars in Mario Kempes and Diego Maradona who delivered extraordinary individual performances. Their skill decided the outcomes more than any potential external factors.
3. FIFA Recognition
FIFA recognizes Argentina outright as two-time winners in 1978 and 1986. Unless evidence arises to force FIFA to formally strip Argentina of their titles, they will remain official winners in the record books.
4. Geopolitical Norms of Era
While controversial by today’s standards, the geopolitics around World Cup hosting and qualifications in the late 1970s were normative at the time across many major sporting events. Viewed through that lens, Argentina’s 1978 title deserves less scrutiny.
5. Results Stand Test of Time
Despite controversies, Argentina’s championship results have stood unchallenged for over 40+ years since their 1978 title and nearly 40 since 1986. If match fixing or biases altered outcomes, more concrete evidence likely would have emerged.
Weighing the Balance of Evidence
There are clearly two sides to this debate with no consensus answer. However, weighing the balance of evidence, it seems Argentina has a strong claim to being rightful two-time winners of the World Cup.
Some of the key points in Argentina’s favor:
– They proved themselves champions on the pitch both years, whatever surround conditions may have been.
– Maradona’s 1986 performance was unequivocally brilliant and key to victory.
– Both titles have been ratified by FIFA for decades, despite controversies being well-known.
– Geopolitics offer context to understand 1978 doubts, but don’t invalidate Argentina’s on-pitch performances.
– No concrete evidence has ever proven match fixing or biased officiating altered the results.
Without direct evidence like match fixing, it is hard to technically invalidate Argentina’s status as winners according to FIFA rules. While debates will persist, the record books tell the full story – Argentina holds two World Cup championships in 1978 and 1986.
Data Tables
| Year | Result |
|---|---|
| 1930 | Runners-up |
| 1934 | Did not qualify |
| 1938 | Did not participate |
| 1950 | Group stage exit |
| 1954 | Group stage exit |
| 1958 | Third place |
| 1962 | Group stage exit |
| 1966 | Quarterfinals |
| 1974 | Second group stage |
| 1978 | Winners |
| 1982 | Did not qualify |
| 1986 | Winners |
| Tournament | Result | Key Players |
|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Winners | Mario Kempes, Osvaldo Ardiles, Daniel Passarella |
| 1986 | Winners | Diego Maradona, Jorge Valdano, Jorge Burruchaga |
Conclusion
In closing, Argentina’s claim to two World Cup titles will always have its share of controversy and debate around the context of their 1978 victory on home soil. However, the record shows they were champions on the pitch both in 1978 and 1986.
Despite the doubts, FIFA upholds Argentina as legitimate winners in 1978 and 1986. Unless new evidence surfaces to formally invalidate those results, Argentina deserves credit as one of just eight nations to lift the hallowed World Cup trophy multiple times. Their titles will remain etched in history among the pantheon of great World Cup champions.
