Menotti and Idealism: Football’s Battle Against Tyranny in Argentina
Throughout the history of football, few managers have imprinted the soul of the beautiful game like César Luis Menotti did. Nicknamed “El Flaco”(the Thin One), the cool dressed and poetically spoken Menotti is remembered for managing a vibrant Argentina side to their first World Cup win in 1978 on home soil amidst Jorge Videla’s dictatorship. Moreover, the manner in which Menotti coached that team created a paradigm shift in Argentina’s football. In contrast with Videla’s grim rule, Menotti allowed his players the freedom to unravel their individual skills that would, in turn, swing together like a jazz quintet and play aesthetically pleasing football to entertain the fans. Menotti’s tactics were not only delightful to watch, they also payed their dividends in final, where Argentina defeated an excellent Netherlands team 3–1 in the final after extra-time. Following this success, Menotti’s philosophy left a school of thought, menottismo, in Argentina that influenced subsequent managers like Marcelo Bielsa, Jorge Sampaoli, Ricardo Lavolpe, and countless others. While menottismo is evident in the footballing world, Menotti’s beliefs transcend into the broader context of philosophy and politics.
In order to understand these ideas of liberation, one must first understand the environment that spawned them. On the political side of things, Menotti lived his younger days in an Argentina that had been through a never ending wave of instability since the post war years. Juan Peron’s government was unable to secure stability in a politically tense Argentina. The country regressed the country into economic turmoil by the early 50s without civil liberties fairing any better. Of course, the situation never truly seemed resolved even after Peron fled the country in 1955. What followed was even more disarray in an Argentina that changed heads of states multiple times well into the mid 60s by the beginning of the Argentine Revolution. The revolution saw successive militant rulers control plunge further away from political freedom and closer to tyranny. Democracy finally returned in 1973 and Peron returned from exile to presidency once more. Nevertheless, problems continued, “the Arab oil embargo of 1973 and an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease that devastated Argentina’s beef industry”. Peron died in 74' and left his wife Isabella in charge of a collapsing country.
Indeed, this time period marked the dismemberment of hope for democracy in Argentina and cultivated a lasting impression on Menotti. He was able to witness the political deterioration of the country along with its effects on the heart of football. Football in Argentina had changed from “la nuestra — “our style” — which was all about skill and flair”pre 58' World Cup to the militant configuration that marked the rise of Osvaldo’s Zubeldia’s Estudiantes De La Plata. The aggressive, cynical style that Zubeldia’s Estudiantes of the late 60s best reflected the oppressive rule that placed argentineans in chains. With tactics fit for a death squad, Estudiantes’ reliance on dirty play neutralized, both figuratively and literally, opposing teams and emphasized winning by any means necessary. They garnered success with a league title in 1967 along with consecutive Copa Libertadores in 68',69,70'. Despite the trophies, the price payed by winning damaged the integrity of football, as the methods employed to secure victory made that Estudiantes team “antifootball” at the very least and considerably fascist at worst.
Much like socialism was a reaction to the emerging capitalist system in the 19th century, Menotti reacted to Zubeldia’s cynical Estudiantes De La Plata side of the late 60s. Moreover, witnessing the fantastic 1970 Brazil squad easily parading through opponent teams to a World Cup in Carnaval-esque fashion only furthered drove Menotti to re-imagine the way that football should be played. A changed man, he decided to commit to his convictions of playing eye-catching football as a principle of play but also one of humanity. Despite this idealism, trouble failed to allude the Argentinian government. By the time Menotti was named manger of Argentina national team in 1974, society was tarnished and the national team needed revitalization after a disappointing run in that year’s World Cup in Germany.
In a dramatic turn of events, Menotti began to change Argentina’s football for the better, but peoples’ lives were about to get worse in 1976 when a military coupe headed by Jorge Videla ceased control of the country. He was declared president officially but the guise did not to deter from the lack of democracy that his reign had over Argentina. People who opposed his government were often disappeared, jailed, or killed, leading to thousands of disappearances. Even the innocent were not always spared from direct confrontation, as many newborns were also kidnapped and gifted to military families.
The situation in Argentina only furthered justified the way the style of play that Cesar Luis Menotti implemented. He realized that football went beyond the individual desire to win games. In fact, his ideas went beyond football, and mirrored the struggles of life as he puts it: “There’s a right-wing football and a left-wing football…“Right-wing football wants to suggest that life is struggle. It demands sacrifices. We have to become of steel and win by any method … obey and function, that’s what those with power want from the players.” It was clear response from Menotti that football like Zubeldia’s reflected an underlying of servitude and automation that was unfit for human goodness. Going beyond Zubeldia himself, playing without freedom signified the loss of humanity in football itself. Players are human first, not machines. Without enjoyment of their labor, they become miserable and lose their well being. After all, how can one live participating in something they despise ? only through force or by necessity of survival. Yet, it was by force that Argentina faced the same issue of losing its humanity under Videla’s rule. And by the same analysis, it is by necessity that many people are forced submit to “unpleasant” work for survival. Regardless, that choice should not have to be made. There are better ways to live life.
But in order to live a better life, one must be able to think of others not as a competitive burden, but as sisters helping each other in the same game. For this reason, Menotti created a system of play where the players could flourish in liberty but still coalesce as a group. Filol was a reliable goalkeeper. Passarella was a great leader and stone in the defense. Kempes brought flair and goals to the attack.
All these players came together to contribute their abilities in a way that would come flow symbiotically for the team and the fans. Flamboyant trickery and delightful solo runs made them a joy to watch. They were fearless against even the best of opponents, even when one think opt for more conservative tactics, by committing to the tenants of Menotti’s idealism, freedom and joy.This in most evident in 78'World Cup final against the Netherlands, where they had their toughest match. Menotti himself believed that “a team is above all an idea, and more than an idea it is a commitment, and more than a commitment it is the clear convictions that a coach must transmit to his players to defend that idea… in football there are risks because the only way you can avoid taking risks in any game is by not playing”. Much like a jazz band, Argentina defied the norm and took the risk by playing attacking football rather than implementing safer tactics. In the final, they could have easily regressed into Zubeldia-like tactics to win, but they stood for what they believed in and proved that beautiful football meant more than simply self indulgence. It meant above else, the belief in liberty and joy for themselves and for the fans. It payed off and they won 3–1, claiming their first world title. Celebration and glee filled country. For a moment the greyness of the country was suspended ,and Argentinians had a reason to be proud again.
The 78' team defied the circumstances and gloom of their country by becoming free and enjoying their labor in a way that was perhaps a mere dream for many of their fellow Argentinians. Still, it was that dream that perhaps gave their Argentinian brothers and sisters hope for the next five years when military rule finally ended in 1983
