He wasn’t just an icon on the sidelines: Argentina’s world champion coach César Luis Menotti is dead. The football world is mourning the loss of a great man – including Lionel Messi.
Argentina’s then national coach Cesar Luis Menotti (center) and Daniel Passarella (r.) at a friendly in Bern in 1979.
Imago
(dpa) Argentine football mourns the death of César Luis Menotti. The 1978 world champion coach died at the age of 85. The Argentine football association Afa announced this on Sunday on X, formerly Twitter. At the age of 39, Menotti led Argentina to its first World Cup title at the World Cup in his own country, which took place in 1978 during the military dictatorship. There was initially no further information about the circumstances of his death.
“One of the great figures in our football has left us,” wrote Argentine football star Lionel Messi on Instagram. “My condolences to his family and loved ones.”
“El Flaco” defined his own style
Menotti, who like Messi came from the city of Rosario, was considered a football philosopher. Already with his first title as a coach in 1973 with the club Atlético Huracán in the Argentine league, “El Flaco” (the thin one) defined his style: “Offensive, clean, happy” – in contrast to a purely result-oriented game. He described this as “left-wing” football. However, his greatest triumph came during the tyranny of the right-wing military junta between 1976 and 1983. Although Menotti did not openly criticize the military, he let his rejection shine through.
Menotti (r.) with Diego Armando Maradona in 1981.
Imago
“Deep sadness at the departure of the leader of a group that gave the country one of the greatest joys,” wrote Argentina’s ultra-liberal President Javier Milei on deny.”
Several clubs that Menotti had coached expressed their sadness on social media, including FC Barcelona. Before his coaching career, Menotti was a professional player. At the age of 80, he got a job with the Argentine Football Association and was until recently general director of the country’s various national teams.