1978 FIFA World Cup

Association football tournament in Argentina 1978 World Cup the golf competition 1978 World Cup (men's golf) October 2025 December 2025 November 2019 FIFA World Cup 1978 es Copa Mundial de FútbolArgentina '78 Logo Mundial 78.svg 200px Argentina 1–25 June 5 16 6 5 Argentina 1861 1 Netherlands Brazil 1968 Italy 1946 38 102 main 1-4 A-B ARG 1861 Mario Kempes (6 goals) ARG 1861 Mario Kempeshttps://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/technicaldevp/50/09/13/fwc_spain_1982_en_part3_285.pdf 1982 FIFA World Cup Technical Report FIFA Technical Group 1982 82tech https://web.archive.org/web/20100106062858/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/technicaldevp/50/09/13/fwc%5fspain%5f1982%5fen%5fpart3%5f285.pdf 6 January 2010 ITA 1946 Antonio Cabrini1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina – Awards https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/argentina1978/awards/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20150307173827/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/archive/argentina1978/awards/index.html dead 7 March 2015 FIFA.com Fédération Internationale de Football Association 3 February 2019 ARG 1861 1974 1982 The 1978 FIFA World Cup was the 11th edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament among the men's senior national teams. It was held in Argentina between 1 and 25 June. The tournament was won by the host nation, Argentina, who defeated the Netherlands 3–1 in the final, after extra time. The final was held at River Plate's home stadium, Estadio Monumental, in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth team (after Uruguay, Italy, England, and West Germany) to be both hosts and world champions and the third South American team to win the World Cup. Argentina, the Netherlands, and Brazil were the gold, silver, and bronze medalists, respectively. Iran and Tunisia made their first appearances in the tournament. The defending champions, West Germany, were eliminated in the second round (finishing third in their group). This was also the last World Cup tournament to use the original inclusion of 16 teams. Since the first World Cup in 1930, only 15 teams (plus the host, who automatically qualified) had been allowed to qualify (the reigning title holders also received automatic qualification from 1934 through 2002); but for the next World Cup, in Spain, FIFA expanded that tournament to 24 teams. This tournament was marred by flagrant controversy, domestic politics, and alleged interference and match-fixing by the Argentine authoritarian military junta government that was using this tournament as an opportunity for nationalistic propaganda and for seeking legitimacy on the world stage.https://www.theguardian.com/football/in-bed-with-maradona/2017/jul/05/1978-world-cup-argentina-political-protest-goalposts The political message hidden on the goalposts at the 1978 World Cup The Guardian Forrest David 5 July 2017 30 June 2021 20 April 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210420172310/https://www.theguardian.com/football/in-bed-with-maradona/2017/jul/05/1978-world-cup-argentina-political-protest-goalposts live During the months before the start of the World Cup, the junta was intending to dismantle those who were against them and mitigate criticism from the public on their policies.Smith B.L. March 2002 The Argentinian Junta and the Press in the Run-up to the 1978 World Cup http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/714004869 Soccer & Society en 3 1 69–78 10.1080/714004869 1466-0970 subscription The official match ball was the Adidas Tango Durlast. Host selection FIFA World Cup hosts Argentina was chosen as the host nation by FIFA on 6 July 1966 in London, England, when the hosts for 1974, 1978 and 1982 editions were chosen. Mexico withdrew from the bidding process after having been awarded the 1970 event two years earlier. thumbnail|upright|The gesture by Juan Domingo Perón which inspired the tournament logo. The logo is based on President Juan Perón's signature gesture: a salute to the crowd with both arms extended above his head. This was one of the most famous, populist images of Perón. The design was created in 1974, two years prior to the military coup in 1976. The military leadership were aware that the World Cup's logo symbolised Perón's gesture, and they tried to change the competition's logo. At this point, the design was already broadly commercialised and the merchandise had already been made: a forced modification "would trigger a sea of lawsuits against the country", so the military had no option but to give up their attempts and leave it.Pablo Llonto, "I Mondiali della vergogna. I campionati di Argentina '78 e la dittatura"("The World Cup of the Shame. Argentina '78 and the dictatorship"), Edizioni Alegre, Rome 2010, p. 38. The monetary cost of preparing to host the World Cup was put at $700 million, including building three new stadia and redeveloping three others; building five press centres; a new communications system costing $100 million; and improvements to transport systems. Qualification 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification thumb|300px|#000cff Countries that qualified for World Cup #ffb400 Countries that failed to qualify black Countries that did not enter #ababab Non-FIFA members Newcomers to the finals were Iran and Tunisia; Austria qualified for the first time since 1958, while France, Spain and Hungary were back for the first time since 1966. Peru and Mexico returned after missing the 1974 tournament. For the first time, more than 100 nations entered the competition.1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina Preliminaries https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/argentina1978/preliminaries/index.html https://web.archive.org/web/20131220191723/http://www.fifa.com/tournaments/archive/worldcup/argentina1978/preliminaries/index.html dead 20 December 2013 FIFA List of teams qualifying The following 16 teams qualified for the final tournament: start AFC (1) IRN 1964 (debut) CAF (1) TUN 1959 (debut) OFC (0) None qualified break CONCACAF (1) MEX CONMEBOL (3) ARG 1861 (hosts) BRA 1968 PER break UEFA (10) AUT FRA 1974 HUN 1957 ITA 1946 NED POL 1928 SCO ESP 1977 SWE FRG (holders) end Format The format of the competition stayed the same as in 1974: Sixteen (16) teams qualified, divided into four groups of four. Each group played a round-robin with two points for a win and one for a draw, and goal difference used to separate teams level on points. The top two teams in each group advanced to the second round, where they were split into two groups of four. The winners of each group played each other in the final, and the second-place finishers in the match for third place. Summary thumb|300px|#2b42a3 Champion #34c0be Runner-up #269c5a Third place #81c846 Fourth place #f4d4ac Second round #b94954 First round First round The first round produced several surprises. Poland won Group 2 ahead of world champions West Germany, after holding the Germans to a goalless draw and then beating Tunisia and Mexico. The Germans then beat Mexico 6–0, and finally played out a second goalless draw against Tunisia. Although they failed to qualify for the second round, Tunisia made history by beating Mexico 3–1 while trailing 0–1 at half time. It was the first time that any African team had won a match at the World Cup finals. Peru pushed the Netherlands into second place in Group 4, where Scotland missed out on goal difference for the second successive tournament. Teófilo Cubillas was outstanding for Peru, scoring twice against Scotland in Peru's 3–1 win and hitting a hat-trick in their 4–1 victory over newcomers Iran. Rob Rensenbrink of the Netherlands also scored three times against Iran, scoring all the goals as the Dutch won 3–0. Scotland drew with Iran 1–1 and the only highlight of their campaign was a 3–2 victory over the Netherlands in their final group game which was not enough to prevent elimination. Iran, the reigning Asian champions, went out of the tournament winless. Rensenbrink's goal against Scotland was the 1000th goal of World Cup history. Scotland's Willie Johnston was expelled from the World Cup after he was found to have taken a banned stimulant during the opening game against Peru. The biggest surprise of all came in Group 3, where Austria finished ahead of Brazil. The Austrians beat Spain and Sweden, while Brazil were held to draws by the same two teams. The draw between Brazil and Sweden was especially controversial; Welsh referee Clive Thomas awarded Brazil a very late corner kick, and Zico directly headed the kick into the net; but Thomas blew for time before Zico made contact with the ball, and the goal was disallowed. The Brazilian players were not happy with the decision, but the final result remained a 1–1 draw. Heading into their final group game, Brazil needed to beat Austria to be certain of advancing to the second round and managed a 1–0 win thanks to a goal from Roberto Dinamite. Brazil and Austria thus finished with the same number of points and the same goal difference, but Austria won the group by virtue of having scored more goals. Group 1 had the strongest line-up of teams in the first round, featuring Italy, the host Argentina, France and Hungary. The two places in the second round were claimed before the final round of games, with Italy and Argentina both beating France and Hungary. The match between Italy and Argentina decided who topped the group, and a goal from Roberto Bettega midway through the second half was enough to give that honour to Italy. It also forced Argentina to move out of Buenos Aires and play in Rosario. The 1978 World Cup marked the fourth and last occasion during which a national team did not wear its own kit to play a match (the first being in the 1934 World Cup match for third place between Germany and Austria; the second in the 1950 World Cup first round match between Switzerland and Mexico and the third in the 1958 World Cup first round match between West Germany and Argentina). The incident happened during the game between France and Hungary. Both teams arrived at the venue with only their white change kits, resulting in a delayed kickoff while officials went in search of the jerseys of a local team from Mar del Plata, Club Atlético Kimberley; the jerseys had vertical green and white stripes and were worn by France. Second round In the all-European Group A, the Netherlands got off to a flying start by thrashing Austria 5–1, Johnny Rep scoring two of their goals. In a rematch of the 1974 final, the Dutch then drew 2–2 with West Germany, who had previously shared a goalless game with Italy. The Italians beat Austria 1–0, and so the Netherlands faced Italy in their last group game knowing that the winners would reach the final. Ernie Brandts scored an 18th-minute own goal to put Italy ahead at half-time, but he made up for his mistake by scoring at the right end in the fifth minute of the second half. Arie Haan got the winner for the Dutch with 15 minutes remaining, and the Netherlands had reached their second successive World Cup Final. In the game known as the miracle of Cordoba, West Germany were surprisingly beaten by Austria 2–3 which marked their end as World Champions. Group B was essentially a battle between Argentina and Brazil, and it was resolved in controversial circumstances. In the first round of group games, Brazil beat Peru 3–0 while Argentina saw Poland off by a score of 2–0. Brazil and Argentina then played out a tense and violent goalless draw, so both teams went into the last round of matches with three points. Argentina delayed the kick-off of its last match to await the result of the Brazil-Poland encounter. Brazil won by a 3–1 score, meaning Argentina had to beat Peru by four clear goals to reach the final but they managed to do it. Trailing 2–0 at half-time, Peru simply collapsed in the second half, and Argentina eventually won 6–0. As previously noted, rumours suggested that Peru might have been bribed or threatened into allowing Argentina to win the match by such a large margin. However, nothing could be proved, and Argentina met the Netherlands in the final. Brazil took third place from an enterprising Italian side with Nelinho scoring a memorable goal, and were dubbed "moral champions" by coach Cláudio Coutinho, because they did not win the tournament, but did not lose a single match. Final The final, Argentina vs Netherlands, was also controversial, as the Dutch accused the Argentines of using stalling tactics to delay the match. The host team came out late and questioned the legality of a plaster cast on René van de Kerkhof's wrist, which the Dutch said allowed tension to build in front of a hostile Buenos Aires crowd. Mario Kempes opened the scoring for the hosts before Dick Nanninga equalised a few minutes from the end. Rob Rensenbrink had a glorious stoppage-time opportunity to win it for the Netherlands but his effort came back off the goal post. Argentina won the final 3–1 after extra time, after Daniel Bertoni scored and Kempes, who finished as the tournament's top scorer with six goals, added his second of the day. The Netherlands, because of the controversial game events, refused to attend the post-match ceremonies after the match ended.http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/events/1998/worldcup/news/1998/07/04/philjones_04/ https://web.archive.org/web/20020210064841/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/soccer/world/events/1998/worldcup/news/1998/07/04/philjones_04/ dead 10 February 2002 The Netherlands pay back controversial loss to Argentina CNN 20 April 2010 4 July 1998 They had lost their second consecutive World Cup final, both times to the host nation, after losing to West Germany in 1974. Argentina won 5 games but became the first team to win the World Cup after failing to win two matches, where they had lost to Italy in the first round and drawn with Brazil in the second round. Four years later, Italy would win the next World Cup despite failing to win three games. Mascot thumb|Gauchito is the official mascot of the 1978 FIFA World Cup. The official mascot of this World Cup was Gauchito, a boy wearing an Argentina kit. His hat (with the words ARGENTINA '78), neckerchief, and whip are typical of gauchos.2025-09-25 The history of World Cup mascots https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/mascots-history 2026-07-16 FIFA 20 July 2026 https://web.archive.org/web/20260720115148/https://www.fifa.com/en/tournaments/mens/worldcup/canadamexicousa2026/articles/mascots-history live Venues In 1972, eight venues were preselected; six that were used for the finals, plus La Plata and Tucuman. La Plata, the city of the diagonals, promised a "one-of-a-kind stadium" but by 1974 it was scrapped by internal bids. The La Plata Stadium was finally completed in 2003. In the case of Tucuman, an ambitious stadium of 70,000 spectators had been promised in Horco Molle, similar to the current Racing Club Stadium, along with the roof. The Tucuman venue was temporarily suspended in 1974 and was decommissioned the following year, given the intensity of the actions of the guerrillas and the Armed Forces in the province.https://www.lagaceta.com.ar/nota/256085/Deportes/Al_sue%F1o_Tucuman_lo_invadio_frustracion.html Al sueño de Tucumán lo invadió la frustración Jon 4 February 2008 5 February 2020 5 February 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200205124023/https://www.lagaceta.com.ar/nota/256085/Deportes/Al_sue%25F1o_Tucuman_lo_invadio_frustracion.html live Three new stadiums were built (Olympic Stadium in Córdoba; World Cup Stadium in Mar del Plata; and Mendoza City Stadium in Mendoza) and the other three were remodelled.World Soccer 1986 – World Cup without a home? Maier Hanns J 24–25 June 1979 Of the six venues used, the River Plate Stadium in Buenos Aires was the largest and most used venue, hosting nine total matches, including the final. The Olympic Stadium in Cordoba hosted eight matches, the stadiums in Mendoza, Rosario and Mar del Plata each hosted six matches and José Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires hosted three matches — bringing the Argentine capital and largest city's total to 12 — nearly a third of all the matches played. The World Cup Stadium in Mar del Plata was heavily criticised due to its terrible pitch, which was deemed "nearly unplayable"; whereas the Amalfitani stadium in Buenos Aires, which was refurbished with the completion of press boxes and another section of upper stands but was the least used stadium for the tournament, was praised for its very good pitch.http://www.stadiumguide.com/joseamalfitani/ Estadio José Amalfitani 22 March 2019 The Stadium Guide 26 July 2020 2 November 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20191102233801/http://www.stadiumguide.com/joseamalfitani/ livehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtRTScx8qJ4 YouTube YouTube 12 June 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20160102053518/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtRTScx8qJ4 2 January 2016 dead dmy-all Brazil was forced by tournament organisers to play all three of its first group matches in Mar del Plata; there had been rumours and allegations of the organisers deliberately sabotaging the Minella stadium's pitch to weaken Brazil's chances of success. Buenos Aires Córdoba River Plate Stadium José Amalfitani Stadium Olympic Stadium Capacity: 74,624 Capacity: 49,318 Capacity: 46,986 205x205px 205x205px 205x205px Mar del PlataArgentina 270 center Argentina -34.6039 -58.3814 Buenos Aires Blue pog.svg 10 bottom Argentina -31.4167 -64.1833 Córdoba top Argentina -38.0179 -57.5823 Mar del Plata bottom Argentina -32.9575 -60.6394 Rosario left Argentina -32.8897 -68.8444 Mendoza left World Cup Stadium Capacity: 43,542 205x205px Rosario Rosario Central Stadium Capacity: 45,645 205x205px MendozaStadiums in Buenos AiresArgentina Buenos Aires 240 center Argentina Buenos Aires -34.5453 -58.4498 River Plate right Argentina Buenos Aires -34.6354 -58.5207 Amalfitani right Mendoza City Stadium Capacity: 34,954 205x205px Match officials AFC 18em SYR 1972 Farouk Bouzo IRN 1964 Jafar Namdar ISR Abraham Klein CAF SEN Youssou N'Diaye CONCACAF MEX Alfonso González Archundia CONMEBOL 18em URU Ramón Barreto BRA 1968 Arnaldo Cézar Coelho ARG 1861 Ángel Norberto Coerezza PER César Orosco CHI Juan Silvagno UEFA 18em FRG Ferdinand Biwersi NED Charles Corver SUI Jean Dubach SWE Ulf Eriksson POR António Garrido SCO John Gordon ITA 1946 Sergio Gonella POL 1928 Alojzy Jarguz AUT Erich Linemayr YUG Dušan Maksimović ESP 1977 Ángel Franco Martínez HUN Károly Palotai ENG Pat Partridge GDR Adolf Prokop ROU 1965 Nicolae Rainea BEL Francis Rion WAL Clive Thomas FRA 1974 Robert Wurtz Squads For a list of all squads that appeared in the final tournament, see 1978 FIFA World Cup squads. Seeding Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4ARG 1861 (hosts) FRG (defending champions) NED (1974 runners-up) BRA 1968ITA 1946* POL 1928 SCO ESP 1977 *Italy placed in Group 1 with Argentina prior to the drawHUN MEX^ PER^ SWE ^Mexico and Peru to be placed in either Group 2 or 4 to avoid South American seedsAUT FRA 1974 IRN 1964 TUN 1959 First group stage Group 1 1978 FIFA World Cup Group 1 thumb|230px|France (wearing local Club Kimberley shirt) v Hungary Standings no_hide_class_rules 1-1 1-2 1-3 1-4 1-5 1-6 Group 2 1978 FIFA World Cup Group 2 alt=|thumb|200x200px|Tunisia at the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification in Cairo. Standings no_hide_class_rules 2-1 2-2 2-3 2-4 2-5 2-6 Group 3 1978 FIFA World Cup Group 3 Standings no_hide_class_rules 3-1 3-2 3-3 3-4 3-5 3-6 Group 4 1978 FIFA World Cup Group 4 thumb|right|200px|Teófilo Cubillas's free kick for a Peru goal v Scotland Standings no_hide_class_rules 4-1 4-2 4-3 4-4 4-5 4-6 Second group stage Group A 1978 FIFA World Cup Group A Standings no_hide_class_rules A1 A2 A3 A4 Austria v West Germany (1978 FIFA World Cup) A5 A6 Group B 1978 FIFA World Cup Group B thumb|right|170px|Mario Kempes saving Argentina goal with his hand so the referee awarded a penalty kick to Poland Standings no_hide_class_rules B1 B2 B3 B4 B5 Argentina v Peru (1978 FIFA World Cup) B6 Knockout stage 1978 FIFA World Cup knockout stage Match for third place TPP Final 1978 FIFA World Cup final Final Statistics Goalscorers With six goals, Mario Kempes was the top scorer in the tournament. In total, 102 goals were scored by 62 players, with three of them credited as own goals. 6 goals ARG 1861 Mario Kempes 5 goals 18em NED Rob Rensenbrink PER state Teófilo Cubillas 4 goals 18em ARG 1861 Leopoldo Luque AUT Hans Krankl 3 goals 18em BRA 1968 Dirceu BRA 1968 Roberto Dinamite ITA 1946 Paolo Rossi NED Johnny Rep FRG Karl-Heinz Rummenigge 2 goals 18em ARG 1861 Daniel Bertoni BRA 1968 Nelinho ITA 1946 Roberto Bettega NED Ernie Brandts NED Arie Haan POL 1928 Zbigniew Boniek POL 1928 Grzegorz Lato SCO Archie Gemmill FRG Heinz Flohe FRG Dieter Müller 1 goal 18em ARG 1861 René Houseman ARG 1861 Daniel Passarella ARG 1861 Alberto Tarantini AUT Erich Obermayer AUT Walter Schachner BRA 1968 Reinaldo BRA 1968 Zico FRA 1974 Marc Berdoll FRA 1974 Bernard Lacombe FRA 1974 Christian Lopez FRA 1974 Michel Platini FRA 1974 Dominique Rocheteau HUN Károly Csapó HUN András Tóth HUN Sándor Zombori IRN 1964 Iraj Danaeifard IRN 1964 Hassan Rowshan ITA 1946 Romeo Benetti ITA 1946 Franco Causio ITA 1946 Renato Zaccarelli MEX Víctor Rangel MEX Arturo Vázquez Ayala NED Dick Nanninga NED René van de Kerkhof NED Willy van de Kerkhof PER state César Cueto PER state José Velásquez POL 1928 Kazimierz Deyna POL 1928 Andrzej Szarmach SCO Kenny Dalglish SCO Joe Jordan ESP 1977 Juan Manuel Asensi ESP 1977 Dani SWE Thomas Sjöberg TUN 1959 Mokhtar Dhouieb TUN 1959 Néjib Ghommidh TUN 1959 Ali Kaabi FRG Rüdiger Abramczik FRG Bernd Hölzenbein FRG Hansi Müller Own goals IRN 1964 Andranik Eskandarian (against Scotland) NED Ernie Brandts (against Italy) FRG Berti Vogts (against Austria) Awards (Unofficial winner) A group of journalists and experts selected the best player of the 1978 tournament, and their selection is recognised by the FIFA website. FIFA recognises only this selection besides the Golden Ball award. Hans Krankl received the same number of votes as Dirceu at the time, and was not chosen as the third best player by FIFA later. +Best playerhttp://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1978/07/17/MD19780717-009.pdf Kempes, el mejor del mundial de forma unánime Mundo Deportivo es 17 July 1978 16 January 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210122023552/http://hemeroteca-paginas.mundodeportivo.com/EMD01/HEM/1978/07/17/MD19780717-009.pdf 22 January 2021 live Winner Runner-up Third placeARG Mario Kempeshttps://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/kempes-the-moustache-had-to-go Kempes: The moustache had to go FIFA 8 October 2018 29 December 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200625120940/https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/kempes-the-moustache-had-to-go 25 June 2020 dead ITA Paolo Rossihttps://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/1978argentina https://web.archive.org/web/20220930113242/https://www.fifa.com/tournaments/mens/worldcup/1978argentina 1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina™ 2023-01-02 2022-09-30 FIFABRA 1889 Dirceu Team of the Tournament FIFA selected the following players for the 1978 FIFA World Cup All-Star Team.https://fbref.com/en/awards/wc_all_star/FIFA-World-Cup-All-Star-Team FIFA World Cup All-Star Team Winners FBref 1 September 2026 GoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwardsARG Ubaldo FillolNED Ruud KrolARG Daniel PassarellaARG Alberto TarantiniGER Berti VogtsPER Teófilo CubillasBRA DirceuITA Roberto BettegaARG Mario KempesNED Rob RensenbrinkITA Paolo Rossi Tournament ranking In 1986, FIFA published a report that ranked all teams in each World Cup up to and including 1986, based on progress in the competition and overall results.FIFA World Cup — Mexico '86; Official Report FIFA Technical Study Group https://digitalhub.fifa.com/m/2bb4308f4d418319/original/pfnhnhmqhdwqvp62pm27-pdf.pdf#page=45 live https://web.archive.org/web/20100614213621/https://www.fifa.com/mm/document/afdeveloping/technicaldevp/50/09/00/fwc_mexico_1986_en_part4_279.pdf#page=45 230 Permanent table 14 June 2010 8 July 2021 FIFA The rankings for the 1978 tournament were as follows: Per statistical convention in football, matches decided in extra time are counted as wins and losses. main WDL 2 complete FIFAhttps://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/mencompwc/51/97/55/171012-statisticalkit-fifaworldcup-milestonesfactsfigures-statusafterfwc2010.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20130521092116/http://www.fifa.com/mm/document/fifafacts/mencompwc/51/97/55/171012-statisticalkit-fifaworldcup-milestonesfactsfigures-statusafterfwc2010.pdf 21 May 2013 FIFA FIFA World Cup: Milestones, facts & figures: Statistical Kit 7 – FIFA World Cup ranking by tournament 20 dead 26 March 2013 H ARG, NED, BRA, ITA, POL, FRG, AUT, PER, TUN, ESP, SCO, FRA, SWE, IRN, HUN, MEX 5 1 1 15 4 3 0 3 7 10 4 3 0 10 3 1 0 2 5 5 0 0 3 3 8 0 1 2 2 8 4 1 2 9 6 0 0 3 2 12 3 2 2 15 10 2 1 3 7 12 3 1 2 6 6 1 1 1 5 6 1 1 1 2 2 0 1 2 1 3 1 1 1 3 2 1 4 1 10 5 T ARG 1861 1/B AUT 3/A BRA 1968 3/B FRA 1974 1 HUN 1 IRN 1964 4 ITA 1946 1/A MEX 2 NED 4/A PER 4/B POL 1928 2/B SCO 4 ESP 1977 3 SWE 3 TUN 1959 2 FRG 2/A Final result #FFD700 Champions #C0C0C0 Runners-up #CD7F32 Third place Fourth place Eliminated insecond group stage Eliminated infirst group stage yes yes 1st 2nd 3rd 4th GS2 GS2 GS2 GS2 GS1 GS1 GS1 GS1 GS1 GS1 GS1 GS1 Controversies Political turmoil and human rights A controversy surrounding the 1978 World Cup was that only two years prior to the competition the Argentine government of Isabel Perón had been replaced in a coup d'état by a military dictatorship known as the National Reorganization Process. Between the time that the military junta took over government and the time the World Cup started, foreign journalists were concerned about how Argentine newspaper reporters and editors were being treated by the regime, in attempting to get leftist members out of the picture. The new government targeted any parts of society that they saw were trying to undermine them. Less than a year before the World Cup, in September 1977, Interior Minister General Albano Harguindeguy, stated that 5,618 people had recently disappeared. The infamous Higher School of Mechanics of the Navy (known by its acronym ESMA) held concentration camp prisoners of the Dirty War and those held captive reportedly could hear the roars of the crowd during matches held at River Plate's Monumental Stadium, located only a mile away;https://www.ft.com/content/e6347c16-3f2a-11dd-8fd9-0000779fd2ac https://web.archive.org/web/20100611233444/http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/e6347c16-3f2a-11dd-8fd9-0000779fd2ac.html 11 June 2010 But Was This The Beautiful Game's Ugliest Moment? David Winner Financial Times 21 June 2008 15 June 2014 prompting comparisons to Adolf Hitler's and Benito Mussolini's alleged political manipulation of sports during the 1936 Berlin Olympics and 1934 FIFA World Cup respectively.https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jun-28-fg-mundial28-story.html Argentina's bittersweet win LA Times 7 April 2010 Patrick J. McDonnell 28 June 2008 25 July 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200725015512/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-jun-28-fg-mundial28-story.html live The junta also practised censorship since it was established, which encouraged less reports on the real situation in Argentina. This was done as an attempt to change the character of the Argentine people. During the buildup to the tournament, the military dictatorship viewed the World Cup as a strategic opportunity to legitimise its rule and promote an image of stability amid widespread repression. Scholars argue that the junta spent enormously on stadiums, infrastructure, and propaganda campaigns, not for economic development but to stage an international spectacle capable of masking state terror.Koller Christian Goal! Catholic University of America Press 2015 205 Football and Dictatorship 10.2307/j.ctt15zc524.11 Government-controlled media portrayed Argentina as peaceful and orderly, while international correspondents later reported censorship, surveillance, and restrictions on movement while covering the event.Jordan David C. 1979 Argentina's Military Commonwealth Current History 76 444 78 45314647 -- MERGE -- Jordan David C. 1979 Argentina's Military Commonwealth Current History 76 444 82 45314647 Just months before the World Cup, the Argentine regime launched a campaign to silence any disapproval of the government from the people. However, over the course of the tournament, the regime ceased the operation to avoid displaying their authoritarianism and receiving criticism from all over the world, but international newspapers and human rights organisations had already criticised Argentina as host for the next World Cup.Scharpf Adam Gläßel Christian Edwards Pearce August 2023 International Sports Events and Repression in Autocracies: Evidence from the 1978 FIFA World Cup https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/abs/international-sports-events-and-repression-in-autocracies-evidence-from-the-1978-fifa-world-cup/19FA0D5B0DD55259AA6A3E4FEBB7978A American Political Science Review en 117 3 909–926 10.1017/S0003055422000958 0003-0554 subscription 21 April 2024 26 April 2024 https://web.archive.org/web/20240421133357/https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/american-political-science-review/article/abs/international-sports-events-and-repression-in-autocracies-evidence-from-the-1978-fifa-world-cup/19FA0D5B0DD55259AA6A3E4FEBB7978A live The presence of ESMA so close to the Monumental Stadium became a powerful symbol of the contradictions of the tournament. Testimonies collected after the dictatorship describe prisoners hearing match-day cheers while torture and interrogations occurred inside the facility.Robben Antonius C. G. M. 2005 How Traumatized Societies Remember: The Aftermath of Argentina's Dirty War Cultural Critique 59 130 4489199 Historians note that these overlapping soundscapes underscore how national celebration and clandestine state violence coexisted during the event, shaping later memory of the World Cup as both a moment of sporting triumph and a period of profound human rights abuse. The military forces that had control over Argentina at the time wanted to hold that power for as long as they could, but with a different perspective. The use of repression, torture, kidnapping, and assassination was becoming an everyday reality, with 30,000 people murdered between 1976 and 1983, the end of the dictatorship.National identity and global sports events: culture, politics, and spectacle in the Olympics and the football World Cup 2006 State University of New York Press 978-0-7914-6615-5 Tomlinson Alan SUNY series on sport, culture, and social relations Albany, NY Young Christopher People wondered why FIFA would allow the World Cup to go on under these circumstances and that 15 other countries, most of which are old democracies, would participate in the tournament. However, it is simply because of the dominant notion that football or soccer, or any sport for that matter, belong to civil society, giving the assumption that state policies wouldn't interfere with the passion and enthusiasm of fans. Civil society groups, most notably the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, used the World Cup’s global visibility to denounce the disappearance of their children. They held weekly marches during the tournament, attracting foreign journalists and making the dictatorship’s human rights record visible to international audiences for the first time.Femenía Nora Amalia Gil Carlos Ariel 1987 Argentina's Mothers of Plaza de Mayo: The Mourning Process from Junta to Democracy Feminist Studies 13 1 9–18 10.2307/3177832 3177832 Their activism challenged the junta’s effort to project unity and control during the games and became foundational to human rights mobilisation in Argentina. International observers widely noted that the dictatorship attempted to use the World Cup to normalise Argentina’s global image. According to historians, military leaders believed that a successful tournament would showcase Argentina as a modern, orderly nation while drawing attention away from the forced disappearances, torture centers, and mass repression taking place at the same time. This strategy mirrored efforts by earlier authoritarian regimes, such as those in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy, which relied on major sporting events to project legitimacy and political strength. Despite the regime’s censorship apparatus, foreign journalists in Argentina continued reporting on the growing number of desaparecidos and the repressive climate. Many correspondents described a palpable military presence in the streets, with frequent ID checks, unmarked cars, and armed patrols near stadiums and transportation hubs. These accounts helped counter the junta’s attempt to use the World Cup as a distraction and contributed to broader international condemnation of state violence.Koller, Christian (2015). "Football and Dictatorship". Goal!. Catholic University of America Press. p. 212. doi:10.2307/j.ctt15zc524.11. The government invested more than ten times the original projected budget for the tournament, a financial decision scholars consider politically motivated rather than economically rational. The overspending contributed to rising inflation and public debt that later intensified Argentina’s economic crisis in the early 1980s.Koller, Christian (2015). "Football and Dictatorship". Goal!. Catholic University of America Press. p. 218. doi:10.2307/j.ctt15zc524.11. In this sense, the World Cup not only intersected with the dictatorship’s political agenda but also deepened the long-term financial instability that emerged as a defining feature of the regime’s final years. From Will Hersey's article "Remembering Argentina 1978: The Dirtiest World Cup of All Time":The other teams in Argentina and Hungary's group were the much-fancied France and Italy, establishing the tournament's toughest qualifying section. After the victory against Hungary, one junta official remarked to Leopoldo Luque that "this could turn out to be the group of death as far as you are concerned." It was delivered with a smile. "Uppermost in my mind was that earlier that day, the brother of a close friend of mine had disappeared", recalled Luque. "His body was later found by villagers on the banks of the River Plate with concrete attached to his legs. At that time, opponents of the regime were sometimes thrown out of aeroplanes into the sea." Protests Because of the political turmoil, some countries, most notably the Netherlands and Sweden,http://sverigesradio.se/sida/gruppsida.aspx?programid=1602&grupp=3137&artikel=865141 Hett debatt om VM i Argentina 1978 sv Sveriges Radio 1 October 2024 considered publicly whether they should participate in the event. Despite this, all teams eventually took part without restrictions. However, most notably, Dutch star Johan Cruyff, who was considered the best player in the previous 1974 FIFA World Cup, refused to take part in the 1978 World Cup, even though he earlier participated in the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification. Allegations that Cruyff refused to participate because of political convictions were denied by him 30 years later—he and his family had been the victims of a kidnapping attempt a few months before the tournament. Several criminals entered his house in Barcelona at night and tied him and his family up at gunpoint.https://www.theguardian.com/football/2008/apr/16/newsstory.sport15 Kidnappers made Cruyff miss World Cup The Guardian London 16 April 2008 20 June 2008 Paul Doyle 21 May 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20080521125308/http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2008/apr/16/newsstory.sport15 live One player, Ralf Edström, was arrested for speaking to someone in Buenos Aires; however, the Argentine military released him upon recognising that he was a Swedish footballer, not an ordinary person. Amnesty International announced their strategy for Argentina in 1978. After their awareness that urging people away from the World Cup could produce counter-sympathy for the junta, they launched a campaign that would teach journalists to write about the tournament but based on the regime, along with the slogan "Football yes, torture no." They hoped that the journalists would turn their eyes away from the matches and look at what's going on in their society to educate their readers on the reality of Argentina. French activists also organised some of the largest international protests against the tournament. In Paris, human-rights groups and left-wing political movements formed COBA (Comité pour le Boycott de l’Argentine), which produced posters, newsletters, and public demonstrations calling attention to the dictatorship.Armus, Diego (2024). Armus, Diego; Ubelaker Andrade, Lisa (eds.). Soccer, Politics, and Protest. Duke University Press. pp. 200–201. doi:10.2307/jj.19724096.65. By 1978, over 200 local COBA committees existed across France, illustrating the extent to which the World Cup had become a focal point for transnational activism. Paris was a center of unanimity for the victims of the Argentine dictatorship, which launched a campaign to boycott the 1978 World Cup. In the city, they made posters, publications or any kind of information that expressed opposition to the World Cup under a dictatorship. The first calls to boycott were published in the daily Le Monde in October 1977. Later, a boycott committee was organised, which brought together human-rights militants and left-wing activists. This organisation came to be known as COBA, a French acronym for, "Committee for the Boycott of the World Cup in Argentina." It wasn't long before the COBA had established a strong base of unity and protest throughout France, with more than 200 local COBA committees created in major cities and provinces.Rein Raanan Argentine Jews or Jewish Argentines ? essays on ethnicity, identity, and diaspora 2010 Brill 978-90-04-17913-4 Jewish identities in a changing world Leiden Enriqueta Maroni, member of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, became internationally known after being interviewed by Dutch television where she told openly about the crimes of the dictatorship.Página12 2025-08-05 Murió Enriqueta Maroni, expresidenta de Madres de Plaza de Mayo Línea Fundadora Su figura trascendió tras ser entrevistada por la televisión holandesa durante el Mundial 78 https://www.pagina12.com.ar/847356-murio-enriqueta-maroni-expresidenta-de-madres-de-plaza-de-ma 2025-08-07 PAGINA12 es 9 August 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20250809235953/https://www.pagina12.com.ar/847356-murio-enriqueta-maroni-expresidenta-de-madres-de-plaza-de-ma live Outside Latin America and Europe, human rights organisations in the United States, Canada, and Australia also launched independent campaigns to draw attention to the dictatorship’s crimes. Amnesty International chapters across North America published fact sheets about forced disappearances and organised letter-writing drives to pressure FIFA and national governments to condemn Argentina’s repression.Moretti John 2 June 2023 Another Controversial World Cup to Remember: 45 Years Later https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/another-controversial-world-cup-to-remember-45-years-later/ 2 December 2025 ReVista: Harvard Review of Latin America 3 November 2025 https://web.archive.org/web/20251103204926/https://revista.drclas.harvard.edu/another-controversial-world-cup-to-remember-45-years-later/ live Although these efforts did not lead to a boycott, they helped internationalise the human rights movement that grew dramatically in the late 1970s. Sports magazines and newspapers in several countries ran dual coverage of both the athletic tournament and the political situation. Some outlets published investigative reports on secret detention centers and testimonies from exiled Argentines. These stories challenged the junta’s narrative that Argentina was safe, unified, and politically stable.Armus, Diego (2024). Armus, Diego; Ubelaker Andrade, Lisa (eds.). Soccer, Politics, and Protest. Duke University Press. pp. 204–206. doi:10.2307/jj.19724096.65. The visibility of these reports demonstrated the limits of the regime’s propaganda efforts and revealed how global media attention complicated the dictatorship’s attempt to control information. Scholars note that the political debate surrounding the 1978 World Cup marked one of the earliest moments when international sporting events were openly criticised as potential instruments of authoritarian image-making. This contributed to broader discussions about the ethics of hosting major competitions in non-democratic states, foreshadowing contemporary debates about “sportswashing” in global politics.Ciria Alberto 1986 Argentina in 1983: Reflections on the Language of the Military and George Orwell Canadian Journal of Latin American and Caribbean Studies 11 21 57–63 41799589 Match fixing Argentina's controversial and favourable decisions in their matches have caused many to view their eventual win as illegitimate; many cite the political climate and worldwide pressure on the Argentine government as the reason for these decisions. Desperate to prove their stability and prominence to the world after their coup two years earlier, the government used whatever means necessary to ensure that the team would progress far in the tournament. Academic research has emphasised that while no conclusive proof of government-orchestrated match fixing exists, circumstantial evidence—including diplomatic pressure, economic negotiations, and testimonies from Peruvian officials—has sustained debate for decades.Koller, Christian (2015). "Football and Dictatorship". Goal!. Catholic University of America Press. p. 229. doi:10.2307/j.ctt15zc524.11. The high political stakes for the junta, which relied on World Cup success to bolster its legitimacy, intensified suspicions surrounding Argentina’s 6–0 victory over Peru. Suspicions of match fixing arose even before the tournament began; Lajos Baróti, the head coach of Argentina's first opponents, Hungary, said that "everything, even the air, is in favor of Argentina".https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a21454856/argentina-1978-world-cup/ Remembering Argentina 1978: The Dirtiest World Cup of All Time Hersey Will 16 June 2018 Esquire 10 December 2018 28 August 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200828071101/https://www.esquire.com/uk/culture/a21454856/argentina-1978-world-cup/ live He also talked about the financial imperative to have Argentina win the World Cup: "The success of Argentina is financially so important to the tournament". More controversy surrounded the host, Argentina, as all of their games in the first round kicked off at night, giving the Argentines the advantage of knowing where they stood in the group. This issue would arise again in Spain 1982, which prompted FIFA to change the rules so that the final two group games in subsequent World Cups (as well as in every other international tournament, starting with the UEFA Euro 1984) would be played simultaneously. In their second group stage game against France, Argentina were the beneficiaries of multiple favourable calls. After France were denied what looked to be a clear penalty in the first half, an anonymous French player said he had heard the referee tell Daniel Passarella (the player who committed the foul), "Don't do that again please, or I might have to actually give it next time."Spurling Jon Argentina's 1978 World Cup Run: The Ugly Truth https://sabotagetimes.com/football/argentinas-1978-world-cup-the-ugly-truth usurped 11 March 2016 29 October 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20181029112324/https://sabotagetimes.com/football/argentinas-1978-world-cup-the-ugly-truth 29 October 2018 Argentina v Peru Argentina v Peru (1978 FIFA World Cup) Further accusations have surrounded the game Argentina and Peru played in the second round of the tournament. Following Brazil's 3–1 win over Poland, Argentina needed to win by a margin of four goals to proceed to the final and did so by defeating Peru by 6–0. There were allegations that the authoritarian Argentine military government interfered to ensure Argentina would defeat Peru through intimidation, though these were denied by Peruvian captain Héctor Chumpitaz and several Peruvian players.El capitán de Perú en el 78: 'Pongo la mano en el fuego por mis compañeros' http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2007/12/05/futbol/1196888260.html El Mundo es 17 July 2018 20 November 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20180717170112/http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2007/12/05/futbol/1196888260.html live Some accusations originated in the Brazilian media and pointed to the fact that the Peruvian goalkeeper, Ramón Quiroga, had been born in Argentina.Keeping the Dark Side of Soccer Away From the City of Light https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/07/sports/soccer-fixed-matches-are-darkening-soccer-s-image.html The New York Times 7 June 1998 22 June 2021 15 June 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20180615191735/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/07/sports/soccer-fixed-matches-are-darkening-soccer-s-image.html live Niega Videla arreglo de partidos en Argentina 1978 26 April 2012 http://www.excelsior.com.mx/2012/04/26/adrenalina/829712 Excelsior es 20 November 2013 17 August 2016 https://web.archive.org/web/20160817091739/http://www.excelsior.com.mx/2012/04/26/adrenalina/829712 dead There was also an alleged deal, reported by the British media as an anonymous rumour, that involved the delivery of a large grain shipment to Peru by Argentina and the unfreezing of a Peruvian bank account that was held by the Argentine Central Bank.Bungs and bribes football can't kick this habit https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/bungs-and-bribes-football-cant-kick-this-habit-1611274.html https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220501/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/bungs-and-bribes-football-cant-kick-this-habit-1611274.html 1 May 2022 subscription live The Independent London 15 March 1995 22 June 2021 Another alleged deal, recounted by the son of a Colombian drug lord in a controversial book, involved the Peruvian team being bribed without any political implications. A third alleged deal, described by the Peruvian leftist ex-senator Genaro Ledesma es, encompassed sending 13 Peruvian dissidents exiled in Argentina back to Peru.Argentina's 1978 World Cup win against Peru was fixed in a brutal political deal, former senator says https://sports.yahoo.com/news/argentinas-1978-world-cup-win-052800565--sow.html Yahoo Sports 9 February 2012 24 July 2020 24 July 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200724070737/https://sports.yahoo.com/news/argentinas-1978-world-cup-win-052800565--sow.html live Three months before the World Cup, Argentina had beaten Peru 3–1 in Lima, their head-to-head record was 15–3 in favour of the host nation, and Peru had never beaten Argentina away from home. However, Peru had conceded only six goals in their previous five games in the World Cup. During the first half, Peru hit the post twice after two counters when the game was 0–0. Argentina managed to get 2–0 ahead before the end of the first 45 minutes. During the second half, Argentina was 4–0 ahead when Peru had another clear chance. Argentina kept attacking and scored twice more, making it 6–0 and surpassing the required margin. The match has since become one of the most studied games in World Cup history, not because of its tactical content but because of its entanglement with Cold War politics, inter-American relations, and the symbolic weight of Argentina’s authoritarian context. Whether or not any explicit arrangement occurred, the game remains a key example of how international football can become deeply intertwined with political strategies and national narratives.Koller, Christian (2015). "Football and Dictatorship". Goal!. Catholic University of America Press. p. 235. doi:10.2307/j.ctt15zc524.11. Absence of Diego Maradona There was also some domestic controversy as well, as Argentine manager César Luis Menotti did not call up the then-17-year-old Argentinos Juniors local star Diego Maradona, for Menotti felt Maradona was too young to handle the pressures of such an important tournament on home soil and that the expectations of the team's performance would probably revolve around the Buenos Aires-born youngster.Summary of Maradona's life http://www.vivadiego.com/biogr.html https://web.archive.org/web/20001102073501/http://vivadiego.com/biogr.html dead 2 November 2000 www.vivadiego.com In addition, Maradona's usual position of number 10 (play-making attacking midfielder) was taken by Mario Kempes, who ended up as the Best Player and Top Goal Scorer. The debate over Maradona’s omission remains a reminder of how individual players were affected by the tournament’s political stakes. While some argue that Menotti’s decision was strictly athletic, others point to the broader pressures and uncertainties surrounding public life under the junta as contextual factors that shaped coaching choices.Ciria 1986 Notes References Match reports Report External links World Cup 1978 1978 FIFA World Cup 1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina, FIFA.com Details at RSSSF FIFA Technical Report (Part 1), (Part 2), (Part 3), (Part 4), (Part 5), (Part 6) and (Part 7) 1970s Association football Argentina 1978 World Cup Category:1978 in Argentine football 1978 Category:June 1978 sports events in South America Category:1978 controversies