Cesar Lusi Menotti dies aged 85: the former Barcelona and Argentina coach who led his country to victory in the 1978 World Cup has died

Legendary former Argentine coach Cesar Luis Menotti has passed away at the age of 85.

The iconic coach, who led his country to their first World Cup victory in 1978, passed away today after being hospitalized for a month with severe anemia.

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The Rosario-born tactician led Argentina to a 3-1 victory over the Netherlands, with extra-time goals from the tournament’s top scorer Mario Kempes and his teammate Daniel Bertoni sealed the victory.

The Argentine Football Federation (AFA) confirmed his death in a statement today.

It said: “The Argentine Football Federation regrets to inform with great sadness the death of Cesar Luis Menotti, current Director of National Teams and former World Champion coach of Argentina”.

Menotti was the mastermind behind Argentina’s first global triumph, getting his hands on football’s most iconic trophy.

As Albiceleste coach, he took a team that had limped out of the 1974 World Cup in Germany and turned them into world champions.

A tall, slender figure who stood on the sidelines, he often smoked during matches.

Menotti has also served as coach of Barcelona, ​​​​Boca Juniors, Independiente, River Plate and Atlético de Madrid, to name just a few.

Menotti took charge of the Mexican national team in the early 1990s, rebuilding the team after disqualification from the 1990 World Cup.

A striker in his playing days, Menotti played in Argentina for Rosario Central, Racing Club, Boca Juniors.

He later joined the New York Generals before playing for the Saints and Juventus in Brazil.

Argentina have won the prestigious World Cup trophy twice since Menotti achieved success in 1978.

They triumphed again in 1986 in Mexico, with the iconic Diego Maradona playing a prominent role in the tournament.

In 2022, football legend Lionel Messi inspired Argentina to lift the most prestigious trophy of all for the third time.

Albiceleste defeated France in one of the greatest World Cup finals of all time.

Argentina has also been runner-up three times: in 1930, 1990 and 2014.

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