The Soccernostalgia Interview-Part 17 (Interview with Uruguay Futbol Historian Mr. Santiago Rodriguez, on Uruguay National Team, 1980/81 season)

 

For this interview, I start a new project as I look back at the history of the Uruguay National, season by season starting with the 1980/81 season.

This will be a semi-regular and continuous series.

The Interviewee is:

Uruguay Futbol Historian Historian, Mr. Santiago Rodriguez.

 

Mr. Rodriguez’s contact info:

On Twitter: @ArchivoCeleste

On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archivoceleste

 

Soccernostalgia Question: In the beginning of 1980/81 season, the Mundialito in the new year, would have been the main talking point and objective. What was the atmosphere of the National Team at this time?

 

Santiago Rodriguez Response: On a football level, without a doubt. The team came from a very painful elimination from the World Cup in Argentina '78, at the hands of Bolivia and Venezuela, which were among the weakest teams on the continent at that time, and from an elimination from the Copa América '79 at the hands of Paraguay. So having a good performance in this tournament became very important thinking about the upcoming Qualifiers for the 1982 World Cup in Spain.

 

Soccernostalgia Question: How had the failure to qualify for the 1978 World Cup impacted the National Team set-up?

 

Santiago Rodriguez Response: At the time it affected a lot, since it was a very good generation, which had made a fairly extensive preparation and that the World Cup was played in Argentina. But already in the year 80 it was a new process fully focused on the Mundialito and the World Cup Qualifiers, so personally I don't think it had much influence.

 

Soccernostalgia Question: Howe did the press and public view the Uruguay Manager Roque Maspoli. Did they clamor for other names?

 

Santiago Rodriguez Response: I couldn't get this information. I talk with some historians who did not remember or haven’t documents about the specific topic. And newspaper archives remain restricted by Covid.

 

Photo From: Onze, Issue 62, February 1981

(January 10, 1981, Mundialito, Uruguay 2-Brazil 1)

Soccernostalgia Question: For the first few matches of the season, Uruguay had trouble scoring in the friendlies, but then picked up steam and scored many goals going into December. What really changed in terms of tactics that enabled that?

 

Santiago Rodriguez Response: Since the early 1980s, the coach and many of the players were the same ones who ended up winning the Mundialito. I believe that there weren't really so many tactical changes, but that the many friendly matches played and the knowledge among the players themselves were what made them improve in that aspect and many others.

 

Soccernostalgia Question: Given the high scoring matches, was there confidence going into the Mundialito or was there apprehension facing all the quality teams?

 

Santiago Rodriguez Response: There was confidence in the team, but the quality of the teams that were going to play the Mundialito, Italy, Brazil, Holland with their top figures, and World Champion Argentina with the addition of Maradona, was not overlooked . There was not such a clear feeling that the team could win the championship.

 

Photo From: Onze, Issue 62, February 1981

(Hugo De Leon with the Mundialito trophy, January 10, 1981, Mundialito, Uruguay 2-Brazil 1)

Soccernostalgia Question: There was much hype on Ruben Paz, referred as ‘Uruguay’s Maradona’. It was reported that Gianni Rivera had travelled to Mundialito to scout Paz for AC Milan. What can you tell about Paz at this moment?

 

Santiago Rodriguez Response: Ruben Paz had made his debut in the first division with Peñarol only in 1977 and in just three years he became one of the best players and without a doubt the future jewel of Uruguayan football. At just 21 years old, he had already been a South American youth champion twice, participated in two World Cups in that category and had already won two Uruguayan Championships as a figure. Undoubtedly much was expected of him at that time.

 

Soccernostalgia Question: Uruguay would win the Tournament defeating Holland, Italy and Tele Santana’s Brazil along the way. Can you describe the atmosphere after the Victory? Was it comparable to 1930?

 

Santiago Rodriguez Response: It is very difficult to know if it was comparable or not. If it was lived very intensely by the Uruguayan people in general because due to the current military dictatorship there were not many possibilities to have that type of popular demonstrations at that time, so the victory of the Mundialito was a great popular demonstration remembered until today for those who lived it. Unfortunately, that same dictatorship and the non-recognition of the tournament by FIFA mean that today this title does not have the relevance it deserves. Something similar to what happened with the World Cup title in Argentina in 1978.

 

Photo From: Mondial, New series, issue 11, February 1981

(January 10, 1981, Mundialito, Uruguay 2-Brazil 1)

Soccernostalgia Question: In addition to Paz, Uruguay’s stand-outs included goalkeeper and Captain Rodolfo Rodriguez, Hugo De Leon, Venancio Ramos, Waldemar Victorino. What can you say about these players?

 

Santiago Rodriguez Response: Rodolfo Rodríguez was a great goalkeeper in his time, for a reason he held the record of the goalkeeper with the most appearances in the Uruguayan team until 2016, when Muslera surpassed him. In addition, beyond the Mundialito, he won many titles at the club level.

Hugo de León is currently still an idol of Nacional, champion of everything. In the national team, he had periods of absence, but when he was there he also achieved important things such as the Mundialito and qualifying for the Italia'90 World Cup.

Venancio Ramos was a typical Uruguayan striker, who unfortunately with time and tactical modernizations have disappeared. Very fast, with great overflow and good definition. He became Champion of America with Uruguay in 1983 and played in the 1986 World Cup.

Waldemar Victorino was a great center forward and goalscorer. That he was already a member of the national team since the Qualifiers'77 and that he had his dream year in 1981, scoring several goals in the Mundialito, including one in the final against Brazil, and a few days later he would define the Intercontinental final of his National team with his goal, against Nottingham of England.

 

Photo From: Mondial, New series, issue 11, February 1981

(Rodolfo Rodriguez with the Mundialito trophy, January 10, 1981, Mundialito, Uruguay 2-Brazil 1)

Soccernostalgia Question: In the euphoria of the Post-Mundialito, the 1982 World Cup qualification appeared to be a formality. Is that how the public and press view it?

 

Santiago Rodriguez Response: I think thats how public and press saw it. It was understood that an armed and champion team was enough and one of the best Peruvian teams in history was underestimated. To the point that both the coach and the press in general forgot about the great center forward that Uruguayan football had at that time, Fernando Morena, and he was not called up, despite the fact that at that time he was already back in Peñarol.

 

Soccernostalgia Question: In closing, how is this season viewed in the annals of Uruguay Futbol History?

 

Santiago Rodriguez Response: From a historical point of view, this season was totally overshadowed by the Mundialito, because of what this title meant for the time and because the elimination from the World Cup Spain’82 happened in the following season 81/ 82. Always clarifying that here in South America the seasons are measured with the calendar year and not in the European way.

Photo From: Mondial, New series, issue 11, February 1981

(Uruguay squad, January 10, 1981, Mundialito, Uruguay 2-Brazil 1)