FOOTBALL BOOK REVIEWS

PUBLISHER: PITCH PUBLISHING LTD. SEPTEMBER 2022. HARDCOVER. 304 PAGES

AS A YOUNG TEENAGER AT THE TIME, AND EVEN WITHOUT E NGLAND HAVING QUALIFIED , ALL I NAIVELY CARED ABOUT WAS THE FOOTBALL, AND KNEW NOTHING OF THE POLITICAL SITUATION . THE BOOK WAS THEREFORE A REAL EYE-OPENER IN LEARNING NOT ONLY ABOUT THE CRUEL AND BRUTAL ADMINISTRATION , BUT ABOUT THE OPPOSITION THAT EXISTED BOTH WITHIN ARGENTINA AND ABROAD . FOR INSTANCE, LOS M ONTONEROS (A LEFT WING ORGANISATION WHO SUPPORTED P ERON ) WHO AS PART OF THEIR PROTEST, ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS WERE ABLE TO HIJACK THE AUDIO OF ARGENTINA ’S GAMES IN CERTAIN LOCATIONS. THERE WAS ALSO DEEP CONCERNS IN EUROPE, AND A D UTCH ALTERNATIVE CABARET DUO B RAM V ERMEULEN AND FREEK DE J ONGE BEGAN A CAMPAIGN FOR THE N ETHERLANDS TO BOYCOTT THE FINALS . THE TITLE OF THEIR SHOW WAS B LOOD ON THE C ROSSBAR , AND “ FOCUSED ON THE CRIMES OF THE DICTATORSHIP AND THE USE OF THE W ORLD C UP AS A SPORTS -WASHING PROJECT. ” THEY ATTEMPTED TO WORK WITH THE D UTCH FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION (KNVB) BUT ULTIMATELY FAILED AND IRONICALLY THE D UTCH SQUAD WERE THEN USED IN PART OF THE PROPAGANDA WAR AHEAD OF THE FINAL, WITH AN ARTICLE APPEARING PURPORTING TO BE FROM R UDI K ROL, PRAISING THE HOSPITALITY, THE ORGANISATION AND THE MILITARY - ALL THE CONTENT HOWEVER WAS A FORGERY. R ICHARDS THOUGH FOR ALL HIS EXCELLENT EXPLORATION OF ISSUES OFF THE PITCH , DOESN ’T

FORGET ABOUT THOSE ON THE PITCH TAKING READERS THROUGH THE MATCHES GROUP BY GROUP AND DEALING WITH SOME OF THE OTHER CONTROVERSIES ASSOCIATED WITH THE TOURNAMENT, SUCH AS THE ALLEGATIONS OF DRUG TAKING BY THE ARGENTINA PLAYERS , AND MOST ESPECIALLY THE 6 -0 BEATING OF P ERU THAT PUT LA ALBICELESTE THROUGH THE FINAL.

THE TEENAGE ME REMEMBERS THE FINAL AND THE SEA OF TICKER-TAPE THAT RAINED DOWN FROM THE STANDS OF THE ESTADIO M ONUMENTAL. I’D NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT AND WAS THEN PROCEEDED TO BE DAZZLED BY THE PERFORMANCE OF M ARIO K EMPES AND HIS COMPATRIOTS. N OW THOUGH AFTER READING THIS BOOK, THOSE INNOCENT BOYISH FEELINGS AND RECOLLECTIONS ARE NOW TEMPERED BY AN ADULT REALISATION OF WHAT LAY BEHIND THE SCENE IN THE NAME OF SPORT.

LA ALBICELESTE’S WIN IN 1986 WILL ALWAYS BE ASSOCIATED WITH THE BRILLIANCE OF M ARADONA WHILST 2022 SAW A FAIRY-TALE ENDING FOR M ESSI’S. Y ET THAT FIRST WIN IN 1978 HAS TO DEAL TO THIS DAY WITH THE STIGMA OF ASSOCIATION WITH THE JUNTA. H OWEVER, THIS BOOK REDRESSES THE BALANCE AND IS A HOMAGE TO THE 1978 WINNERS OF ARGENTINA ’S FIRST W ORLD C UP TRIUMPH AND LEAVES YOU WITH SOME SYMPATHY FOR THE GROUP AS R ICHARDS ATTEMPTS TO GIVE THEM SEPARATION FROM THE ASSOCIATION WITH THE DICTATORSHIP AND THE HORRORS OF THE REGIME OF THE TIME.