Soccer Nostalgia: Teams on Tour-Part 7 (Argentina’s Tour of 1984)

Carlos Salvador Bilardo had been appointed as the National Team Manager of Argentina following Cesar Luis Menotti’s exit after the 1982 World Cup.

His task was to prepare a Team for the 1986 World Cup.

Since his more defensive tactics were at odds with his predecessor, many of his predecessors’ choices were not adaptable to the new tactics (and/or were at the end of their cycle).

This meant an exit for the likes of Alberto Tarantini, Jorge Olguin, Daniel Bertoni, Americo Gallego, etc.

In 1983, Bilardo oversaw Argentina’s disappointing participation in the Copa America. In early 1984, his new look Argentina participated in the Jawarhalal Nehru Cup in India.

As part of the Team’s preparations, Argentina was to tour Europe in Late August/ Early September, book ended with matches at Colombia and Mexico.

The matches in Europe would be against Switzerland, Belgium and West Germany.

The likes of Superstar Diego Maradona, Jorge Valdano, Daniel Passarella and goalkeeper Ubaldo Fillol were still in favor, but Bilardo was restricted in calling them up since many played in Europe.

Maradona had just transferred to Napoli, Valdano had just joined Real Madrid and Passarella was still in Fiorentina.

Bilardo was building a base of a team from mostly home based players, playing with a more prosaic approach that had not pleased neither the fans nor the critics.

His team would be based around just recent Copa Liberatdores winners, Independiente.

Club Captain as well Bilardo’s initial choice as Team Captain would be Independiente defender Enzo Trossero. A few years before Trossero had a spell in Europe with French club Nantes but was now firmly back and established at home.

The lynchpin of the Team (in Maradona’s absence) would be another Independiente star, hard working midfielder Jorge Burruchaga. He would be the cornerstone of the Bilardo era and one of his set players throughout his tenure.

Other Independiente players included were veteran midfielder Ricardo Bochini (a favorite of Maradona) and Ricardo Giusti, another one of the able lieutenants of the Bilardo era.

Fillol’s unavailability gave opportunities to Nery Pumpido and Luis Islas to lay claim for the number one jersey for the Tour.

The other players who would feature prominently for Bilardo in the coming years were defenders Oscar Garre (Ferrocarril Oeste), Julian Camino (Estudiantes), Oscar Ruggeri (Boca Juniors, soon to jump ship to River Plate), Jose Luis Brown (a rarity on this tour, playing outside of Argentina at Colombia with Atlético Nacional Medellin) and Marcelo Trobbiani (Estudiantes).

Argentina’s tour commenced on August 24^th in the worst possible way in a violent clash at Colombia. This was the first meeting between the Nations since 1972 and in all the previous encounters (five in total) Argentina had been undefeated.

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3386, 1984

(August 24, 1984, Colombia 1-Argentina 0)

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3386, 1984

(August 24, 1984, Colombia 1-Argentina 0)

The match in Bogota’s 'El Campín' was won by the home side, when Miguel Prince scored from a header in the 56^th minute (Hernán Herrera supplying the cross).

Argentina had a poor match with only one clear chance through Ricardo Gareca midway through the first half.

The rest of the match was marred by the sending off of four players (including three from Argentina).

In the 59^th minute, Ricardo Giusti and Colombia’s Alvaro Escobar were both sent off after a scuffle.

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3386, 1984

(August 24, 1984, Colombia 1-Argentina 0)

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3386, 1984

(August 24, 1984, Colombia 1-Argentina 0)

In the 80^th minute, Argentina’s Captain Trossero was sent off after elbowing Pedro Sarmiento. He was followed a few minutes later by Ricardo Gareca who was sent off for kicking Carlos Ricaurte.

This incident started a general fight and the police had to intervene to restore order.

The home crowd booed the Argentines and debris was thrown from the stands on the Argentines.

The Colombian crowd shouted insults such as "Argentinos maricas!", "Argentinos animales" and "Argentinos Ilorones" (crybabies).

Many players had wounds due to fighting and/or being struck with projectiles such as Trossero and apparently Bochini was hit by two coins.

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3386, 1984

(August 24, 1984, Colombia 1-Argentina 0)

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3386, 1984

(A cartoon showing Argentina players being attacked by projectiles from the stands, August 24, 1984, Colombia 1-Argentina 0)

After the events in Colombia (where they needed police protection), it must have come as a relief to leave the continent and head out to Europe.

The first match on the old continent was against Switzerland at Berne on August 29^th.

In the days leading up to the match, Argentina Federation President Julio Grondona had made it clear to the players that incidents like the ones in Colombia would not be tolerated.

Argentina were missing the sent off trio from the previous match (Giusti, Trossero and Gareca).

Luis Islas, who much to his dismay had been left out of the Colombia match, got the nod to start in place of Pumpido and earn his first cap.

In defense, Julian Camino started ahead of Eduardo Saporiti.

Jose Luis Brown replaced the suspended Trossero, while Miguel Russo replaced Giusti.

In Trossero’s absence, Bilardo showed his faith and confidence on Burruchaga in naming the youngster as Captain.

For their part, the Swiss hosts were missing goalkeeper Erich Burgener and Lucien Favre.

Argentina impressed observers with its display and raced to a two-goal lead in the first half.

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3387, 1984

(August 29, 1984, Switzerland 0-Argentina 2)

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3387, 1984

(August 29, 1984, Switzerland 0-Argentina 2)

In the 7^th minute, Marcelo Trobbiani’s cross evaded Marco Schallibaum and Jose Ponce chested it down and scored.

In the 34^th minute, Jean-Paul Brigger’s pass to Roger Wehrli was intercepted by Oscar Dertycia, who went past Wehrli and scored.

The disappointing Swiss could have lost by more. They did tighten up in the second half and no further goals were scored.

Bilardo had been impressed and stated that ‘for an hour we were perfect’.

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3387, 1984

(August 29, 1984, Switzerland 0-Argentina 2)

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3387, 1984

(August 29, 1984, Switzerland 0-Argentina 2)

Next match on the Tour was against Belgium at Brussels on September 5^th. The two sides had last met in the opener of the last World Cup (1982) where the Belgians had surprisingly won (1-0).

This Belgium was still recovering a disappointing UEFA European Championships in France just months prior. They had been weakened from the after-effects of the Standard Liege/ Waterschei that had led to the suspensions of its Captain Eric Gerets and Walter Meeuws.

In addition starting goalkeeper Jean-Marie Pfaff missed this match through injury. Belgium Manager Guy Thys experimented by handing out a debut to forward Marc De Grijse.

For Argentina, Islas retained his position in goal. Trossero was back in the side, in place of Oscar Garre.

Ricardo Gareca was also back in the lineup, in place of Dertycia.

Jorge Burruchaga retained the captaincy for this match and rest of the tour.

Just like the previous match vs. Switzerland, the Argentines raced to a two-goal lead by halftime and held on to the (2-0) scoreline.

Photo From: Foot Magazine, Issue 39, October 1984

(Belgium debutant Marc De Grijse, September 5, 1984, Belgium 0-Argentina 2)

Photo From: Foot Magazine, Issue 39, October 1984

(Belgium’s Enzo Scifo, September 5, 1984, Belgium 0-Argentina 2)

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3388, 1984

(September 5, 1984, Belgium 0-Argentina 2)

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3388, 1984

(September 5, 1984, Belgium 0-Argentina 2)

In the tenth minute, Jorge Burruchaga, from the left side crossed just outside the box and Marcelo Trobbiani trapped and volleyed home.

In the 36^th minute, Jose Ponce took a corner from the right side and Oscar Ruggeri headed in the second goal.

Photo From: Foot Magazine, Issue 39, October 1984

(Luis Islas and Frankie Vercauteren, September 5, 1984, Belgium 0-Argentina 2)

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3388, 1984

(A diagram of Marcelo Trobbiani’s goal, September 5, 1984, Belgium 0-Argentina 2)

Ruggeri would be sent off near the end of the match to bring the number of sending offs on the Tour to four.

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3388, 1984

(September 5, 1984, Belgium 0-Argentina 2)

Photo From: El Grafico Number 3388, 1984

(September 5, 1984, Belgium 0-Argentina 2)

Argentina’s performances had improved in these two matches but the biggest test lay ahead the following week on September 12^th when they were to meet West Germany in Dusseldorf.

This was Franz Beckenbauer’s first match in charge of the Germans.

The Germans were missing regulars such as Captain Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Hans-Peter Briegel and Karlheinz Foerster.

Beckenbauer recalled Felix Magath and installed Hans-Gunther Bruns as Libero.

Bilardo chose to start with Pumpido in goal for this important test.

He also picked Giusti in place of Julian Camino and Oscar Garre started in place of the suspended Ruggeri in defense.

There had been attempts to include Ruggeri for the match. DfB President Hermann Neuberger had notified his Argentine Counterpart Julio Grondona that he had not received any notification from FIFA, but that the correct thing was not to play him due to article 11 of the regulation, that states an Expelled player is automatically suspended.

Once again Argentina took a quick two-goal lead in the first half and impressed observers with their technique and quick passing.