Group 3 – Football Journey

Group 3. Argentina was the big favourite, one of the prime candidates for winning the world title. Belgium expected to finish second. Hungary most likely third, unless surprising everybody with some strong play and bumping out Belgium. El Salvador – the hopeless outsider. Easy group at the least for the reigning world champions.

Argentina came as major favourite – the team seem stronger than the one winning the World Cup 4 years ago. Maradona was the biggest addition, of course. But also some other under-20 World champions, notably Diaz. This time Menotti was not excluding foreign-based players, but made everything possible to prevent any foreign transfer of his young players – Maradona, Diaz, Barbas, Calderon, and Hernandez. The selection was formidable.

Head coach: César Luis Menotti

Osvaldo Ardiles

3 August 1952 (aged 29)

Tottenham Hotspur

Héctor Baley

16 November 1950 (aged 31)

Talleres de Córdoba

Juan Barbas

23 August 1959 (aged 22)

Racing

Daniel Bertoni

14 March 1955 (aged 27)

Fiorentina

Gabriel Calderón

7 February 1960 (aged 22)

Independiente

Ramón Díaz

29 August 1959 (aged 22)

River Plate

Ubaldo Fillol

21 July 1950 (aged 31)

River Plate

Luis Galván

24 February 1948 (aged 34)

Talleres de Córdoba

Américo Gallego

24 May 1955 (aged 27)

River Plate

Diego Maradona

30 October 1960 (aged 21)

Boca Juniors

Mario Kempes

15 July 1954 (aged 27)

River Plate

Patricio Hernández

16 August 1956 (aged 25)

Estudiantes

Julio Olarticoechea

18 October 1958 (aged 23)

River Plate

Jorge Olguín

17 May 1952 (aged 30)

Independiente

Daniel Passarella (c)

25 May 1953 (aged 29)

River Plate

Nery Pumpido

30 July 1957 (aged 24)

Veléz Sársfield

Santiago Santamaría

22 August 1952 (aged 29)

Newell’s Old Boys

Alberto Tarantini

3 December 1955 (aged 26)

River Plate

Enzo Trossero

23 May 1953 (aged 29)

Independiente

Jorge Valdano

4 October 1955 (aged 26)

Real Zaragoza

José Daniel Valencia

3 October 1955 (aged 26)

Talleres de Córdoba

José Van Tuyne

13 December 1954 (aged 27)

Racing

If there were weaknesses, they were largely psychological – mainly, the Faulkland Islands War. Mario Kempes struggled with his form and may be he was not at his best. Maradona had an injury, but minor one. Tarantini was too in questionable shape, for he had problems with finding a team to play for after his disastrous spell in England. Ardiles was in a middle of difficult negotiations of new contract with Tottenham Hotspur – the Faulkland War was the biggest obstacle. The real concern was lack of wingers – Menotti declined the advocacy of Ardiles and did not invite Ricardo Villa. He felt Bertoni and Diaz could cover the flanks. On the positive side was one mega-factor – Maradona. Some observers argued that he was grossly overrated, but they were minority. Ardiles was at his finest, 9 players were actual world champions, Passarella was excellent captain and leader of the team. As a trivia, once again Argentina gave shirt numbers alphabetically, so Ardiles was number 1 and the goalkeeper Fillol – number 7. The only exception was made for Maradona he had to be number 12, but got his favourite number 10 and Herhandez took number 12. Holland of 1974 did the same – all got alphabetical numbers except Cruijff. Maradona was already considered bigger than Cruijff and the swap of numbers was one of the proves.

Belgium was flying on the wings of their wonderful performance at the 1980 European championship. The team had practically no changes and was very well oiled. Guy Thys practically had two problems – the captain Cools was out and the Belgian Parliament refused to naturalize Spanish-born midfielder Juan Lozano. Minor problems. Belgium was expected to finish second – it was strong team, but perhaps unable of challenging Argentina.

Head coach: Guy Thys

Jean-Marie Pfaff

4 December 1953 (aged 28)

Beveren

Eric Gerets (c)

18 May 1954 (aged 28)

Standard Liège

Luc Millecamps

10 September 1951 (aged 30)

K.S.V. Waregem

Walter Meeuws

11 July 1951 (aged 30)

Standard Liège

Michel Renquin

3 November 1955 (aged 26)

Anderlecht

Franky Vercauteren

28 October 1956 (aged 25)

Anderlecht

Jos Daerden

26 November 1954 (aged 27)

Standard Liège

Wilfried Van Moer

1 March 1945 (aged 37)

Beveren

Erwin Vandenbergh

26 January 1959 (aged 23)

Lierse

Ludo Coeck

25 September 1955 (aged 26)

Anderlecht

Jan Ceulemans

28 February 1957 (aged 25)

Club Brugge

Theo Custers

10 August 1950 (aged 31)

Espanyol

François Van Der Elst

1 December 1954 (aged 27)

West Ham United

Marc Baecke

24 July 1956 (aged 25)

Beveren

Maurits De Schrijver

26 June 1951 (aged 30)

K.S.C. Lokeren

Gerard Plessers

30 March 1959 (aged 23)

Standard Liège

René Verheyen

20 March 1952 (aged 30)

K.S.C. Lokeren

Raymond Mommens

27 December 1958 (aged 23)

K.S.C. Lokeren

Marc Millecamps

9 October 1950 (aged 31)

K.S.V. Waregem

Guy Vandersmissen

25 December 1957 (aged 24)

Standard Liège

Alexandre Czerniatynski

28 July 1960 (aged 21)

Antwerp

Jacky Munaron

8 September 1956 (aged 25)

Anderlecht

Minuses. Traditionally short pool of talent. Injuries plagued the squad in the last moment and there was no way to replace regulars with others. Rene Vandereycken was injured in the last friendly with Bulgaria and had to be dropped from the selection for the finals and replaced by Jozef Dearden. His absence placed new emphasis on the veteran van Moer, who preferred to have Lozano on the benchm ready to replace him in the second half, but Lozano was out for he did not get Belgian citizenship. Ironically, journalists and public opinion forced Thys to bring back in the national team van Moer two years earlier – now it was the coach defending van Moer, who was almost 38-years old, from his former advocates. They felt now he was too old and useless. Anyhow, Belgium was tough enough and since the team together for so long, they knew perfectly what to do – masters of collective play and tactically wise team. No internap personal problems – Belgium was perhaps the most relaxed team. Thys did not even run closed training camp. Trivia: van Moer was not just the only Belgian player, who played at world cup finals before, but the only player at this finals, who played in Mexico 1970.

Hungary – most likely third. There was hope back in 1978 that Hungary may develop a strong squad, but with time it became clear it was not going to happen. In fact, the current team was perhaps weaker than the 1978 vintage: the key players were the same and most of them were over 30 now. With luck – a massive dose of luck – Hungary could have edged Belgium, that was all.

Head coach: Kálmán Mészöly

Ferenc Mészáros

11 April 1950 (aged 32)

Sporting Clube de Portugal

Győző Martos

15 December 1949 (aged 32)

Waterschei SV Thor

László Bálint

1 February 1948 (aged 34)

Toulouse FC

József Tóth

2 December 1951 (aged 30)

Újpesti Dózsa

Sándor Müller

21 September 1948 (aged 33)

Hércules Alicante

Imre Garaba

29 July 1958 (aged 23)

Budapest Honvéd

László Fazekas

15 October 1947 (aged 34)

Royal Antwerp FC

Tibor Nyilasi (c)

18 January 1955 (aged 27)

Ferencvárosi TC

András Törőcsik

1 May 1955 (aged 27)

Újpesti Dózsa

László Kiss

12 March 1956 (aged 26)

Vasas SC

Gábor Pölöskei

11 October 1961 (aged 20)

Ferencvárosi TC

Lázár Szentes

12 December 1955 (aged 26)

Rába ETO Győr

Tibor Rab

2 October 1955 (aged 26)

Ferencvárosi TC

Sándor Sallai

26 March 1960 (aged 22)

Debreceni VSC

Béla Bodonyi

14 September 1956 (aged 25)

Budapest Honvéd

Ferenc Csongrádi

29 March 1956 (aged 26)

Videoton FC Fehérvár

Károly Csapó

23 February 1952 (aged 30)

Tatabányai Bányász

Attila Kerekes

4 April 1954 (aged 28)

Békéscsabai Előre FC

József Varga

9 October 1954 (aged 27)

Budapest Honvéd

József Csuhay

12 July 1957 (aged 24)

Videoton FC Fehérvár

Béla Katzirz

27 July 1953 (aged 28)

Pécsi MFC

Imre Kiss

10 August 1957 (aged 24)

Tatabányai Bányász

The big minus was that Hungary did not become stronger team after 1978. Apparently, there was not enough young talent on the level of the veterans – and so the old guys not only stayed, but were still the key players. Not only well over 30, but also playing abroad and not always available for camps and friendlies. The defensive line was too old and may be too slow because of that. The big stars – Nyilasi and Torocsik – seemingly reached the limits of their potential and were not going to be better, especially Torocsik. On the positive side, there was plenty of experience – in a good day, Hungary may be able to overcome Belgium. With some strong play and luck could go to the next round. Trivia: 5 foreign-based professionals – the biggest number a East European team ever selected (excluding Yugoslavia).

El Salvador – unknown outsider. Just happy to play at the finals for a second time. Salvadorian players were entirely unknown and there was hardly anything to discuss about them. They had just a single foreign-based player: the 23-years old defender Jaime Rodriguez, playing for Bayer (Uerdingen, West Germany).

Head coach: Pipo Rodríguez

Luis Guevara Mora

2 September 1961 (aged 20)

Platense Municipal

Mario Castillo

30 October 1951 (aged 30)

Santiagueño

José Francisco Jovel

26 May 1951 (aged 31)

Águila

Carlos Recinos

30 June 1950 (aged 31)

FAS

Ramón Fagoaga

12 January 1952 (aged 30)

Atlético Marte

Joaquín Ventura

27 October 1956 (aged 25)

Santiagueño

Silvio Aquino

30 June 1949 (aged 32)

Alianza

José Luis Rugamas

5 June 1953 (aged 29)

Atlético Marte

Ever Hernández

11 December 1958 (aged 23)

Santiagueño

Norberto Huezo (c)

6 June 1956 (aged 26)

Palencia

Mágico González

13 March 1957 (aged 25)

Cadiz

Francisco Osorto

20 March 1957 (aged 25)

Santiagueño

José María Rivas

12 May 1958 (aged 24)

Alianza

Luis Ramírez

6 January 1954 (aged 28)

Atlético Marte

Jaime Rodríguez

17 January 1959 (aged 23)

Bayer Uerdingen

Mauricio Alfaro

13 February 1956 (aged 26)

Platense Municipal

Guillermo Ragazzone

5 January 1956 (aged 26)

Atlético Marte

Miguel Ángel Díaz

27 January 1957 (aged 25)

Atlético Marte

Eduardo Hernández

31 January 1958 (aged 24)

Santiagueño

José Luis Munguía

28 October 1959 (aged 22)

FAS

The only aim, according to the coach Pipo Rodriguez, was to better the record of 1970 finals. No, not hoping to get a point, but to finish with better goal-difference, which in 1970 was 0-9. There was nothing positive, but to the negative was added the dismissal from the squad of the captain Huezo, who expressed his unhappiness from having been substituted in a friendly in rather strong way. However, he was brought back for the finals. The rest is trivia – El Salvador managed to select only 20 players, having not enough options for standard 22. The goalkeeper Luis Guevara Mora came to football by sheer accident – three years before he was playing basketball in his schoolyard, when a team lacking goalkeeper for a game in the same yard asked him to join – and from there to World Cup finals.