Argentina mourns its legend
Source: Elder BRAVO / AFP / Profimedia
Argentine football icon Cesar Luis Menotti has died at the age of 86 after spending the last month in hospital with a severe form of anaemia. He was the coach when Argentina won its first World Cup title, at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina, and was the director of national teams from 2019 to 2023, when Lionel Messi and his teammates brought their country their third World Cup title.
Menotti’s death was also confirmed by the Football Association of Argentina. “It is with regret that we announce that Cezar Luis Menotti, current director of national selections and former coach of the team that won the title of world champion, has passed away.“, it is stated.
In the 1960s, Menotti was a striker and reached the jersey of Boca Juniors and the Argentine national team (11 appearances), and he left a much deeper mark as a coach, because he led the national team from 1974 to 1983, when he accepted Barcelona’s invitation to take over and in it he leads Maradona. He brought three trophies to the Camp Nou stadium in the 1983/84 season, but he did not stay long on the Blaugrana bench, then he managed Boca Juniors, Atletico Madrid, River, Peñarol, Boca again, Sampdoria, and Independiente on three occasions…
Only one is the biggest – and he’s not Argentinian
Source: STRINGER / AFP / Profimedia
Although he is an Argentine legend, his time at Santos as a player (from 1968) alongside Pele saw him forever claim that there is only one greatest of all time – and that it is neither Diego Maradona nor Messi. “There is only one who we cannot compare with anyone. There is only one who, if he played today, would also bring victories on his own. And that is Pele. After him we have Diego, Cruyff, Alfredo Di Stefano and now Messi… But Pele was something else”
“I lived next to him for a year and entered the game as a reserve. One day Pele jumped two meters and passed the ball with his chest to a player who was 20 meters away from him. I remember that my teammates commented to me at the time, ‘This is not a footballer'”.
Admired the Argentine hero “from the shadows”
Source: Profimedia
In the current Argentine team that won the world championship title, one of his compatriots was especially dear to him – Angel Di Maria. “This is a player with enormous generosity. He was treated unfairly and was not given the recognition he deserved, and he was the central figure of the national team. He played better than anyone, including the greatest, above all with his character and calm nature. I am very glad when they point him out because he is one of the greatest Argentine footballers in history”.
“It’s not easy to be Lionel Messi”
Source: Profimedia
Of course, Menotti did not spare praise for Messi. “Messi is at the top of his game and he is happy not only when he wins, but also when he is surrounded by people who love him. Messi has done incredible things for this team, he is a player who, unlike others, is ready to submit to others, to make everyone play well. Although it’s complicated to be Messi, because he’s the best in every way – emotionally and psychologically. He’s a guy who’s always ready.”
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