As part of the 50 days, 50 Argentina World Cup moments, we will be counting down the top 50 Argentina moments at a World Cup using the daily number.
We are just 1 day until the start of the FIFA World Cup and in 1st place we have Argentina winning their first FIFA World Cup against the Netherlands at the 1978 FIFA World Cup.
Argentina had made it to their first final since the inaugural FIFA World Cup in 1930 where they lost to Uruguay. On their way to the final in 1978, Argentina defeated both Hungary and France 2-1, lost to Italy 1-0, defeated Poland 2-0, draw with Brazil 0-0 and famously picked up a 6-0 win against Peru.
They were up against the Netherlands who humiliated them four years earlier in a 4-0 loss. This time, the match was not played in neutral ground but instead in Buenos Aires.
With both teams having their fair share of chances, it was Mario KEMPES who opened the scoring, he dragged the ball into the penalty area as he held off his marker and scored to give Argentina a 1-0 lead. Cesar Luis MENOTTI’s men had the lead going into half time.
Continuing the same pattern as the first half, both teams had chances to score but it was the Netherlands who found the back of the net as Dick NANNINGA leaped and scored a header just eight minutes from full time to draw the Dutch level. Extra time was required.
Mario KEMPES was the hero as he scored once more, this time a lovely skip through the Dutch back line. His initial shot was saved but he got the rebound and Argentina had a 2-1 lead. KEMPES was the architecht of the third goal as he was involved in the play as the ball fell to Daniel BERTONI who scored Argentina’s third of the match.
The referee blew the whistle and Argentina had won their first ever FIFA World Cup.
Here was Argentina’s starting XI for the match:
5. Ubaldo FILLOL
2. Osvaldo ARDILES
4. Daniel BERTONI
6. Americo GALLEGO
7. Luis GALVAN
10. Mario KEMPES
14. Leopoldo LUQUE
15. Jorge OLGUIN
16. Oscar Alberto ORTIZ
19. Daniel PASSARELLA
20. Alberto TARANTINI
If you missed it, here are our 50 World Cup moments:
50: Sergio ROMERO gets 50th cap vs. Switzerland at 2014 FIFA World Cup.
49: Roberto AYALA scores in the 49th minute vs. Germany at 2006 FIFA World Cup.
48: Angel DI MARIA’s 48th cap for Argentina vs. Bosnia-Herzegovina at 2014 FIFA World Cup.
47: Mario KEMPES scores Argentina’s 47th goal all time at the 1978 FIFA World Cup vs. Peru.
46: Jorge VALDANO scores in the 46th minute at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
45: Javier ZANETTI scores in the 45th minute vs. England at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
44: Gabriel BATISTUTA scores goal number 44 in his Argentina career at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
43: Gonzalo HIGUAIN receives cap number 43 for Argentina vs. Germany in the final of the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
42: Pedro PASCULLI scores in the 42nd minute for Argentina vs. Uruguay at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
41: Maxi RODRÍGUEZ scores in the 41st minute for Argentina vs. Serbia & Montenegro at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
40: Roberto AYALA plays in his 40th match for Argentina vs. Jamaica at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
39: Pablo ZABALETA plays in his 39th match for Argentina vs. Nigeria at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
38: Javier SAVIOLA scores in the 38th minute for Argentina vs. Ivory Coast at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
37: Maxi RODRIGUEZ plays in his 37th match for Argentina vs. South Korea at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
36: Mauricio PINEDA scores in the 36th minute for Argentina vs. Croatia at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
35: Ezequiel LAVEZZI plays in his 35th match for Argentina vs. Netherlands at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
34: Diego MARADONA scores his 34th goal for Argentina vs. Greece at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
33: Gonzalo HIGUAIN scores in the 33rd minute for Argentina vs. Mexico at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
32: Hernan CRESPO scores his 32nd goal for Argentina vs. Mexico at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
31: Diego MARADONA scoring in Argentina’s 31st FIFA World Cup match vs. Hungary.
30: Argentina loses opening match of 1982 FIFA World Cup vs. Belgium.
29: Argentina are knocked out of the 1982 FIFA World Cup after playing their 29th ever group stage match.
28: Claudio CANIGGIA scores in the 28th minute for Argentina vs. Nigeria at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
27: Pedro TROGLIO scores in the 27th minute for Argentina vs. the Soviet Union at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
26: Diego MARADONA scores his 26th goal for Argentina vs. Belgium at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
25: Sergio AGUERO plays in his 25th match for Argentina vs. Germany at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
24: Diego MARADONA scores his 24th goal for Argentina vs. England at the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
23: Ezequiel GARAY plays in his 23rd match for Argentina vs. Belgium at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
22: Argentina defeat Greece 2-0 on June 22 at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
21: Lucas BIGLIA plays in his 21st match for Argentina vs. Iran at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
20: Rene HOUSEMAN scores in the 20th minute for Argentina vs. East Germany at the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
19: Diego MILITO wears the number 19 shirt for Argentina on his World Cup debut vs. Nigeria at the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
18. Javier MASCHERANO plays in his 18th match for Argentina vs. Netherlands at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
17: Claudio LOPEZ scores for Argentina in the 17th minute vs. Netherlands at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
16: Gabriel BATISTUTA scores for Argentina in the 16th minute vs. Romania at the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
15: Leopoldo LUQUE scores for Argentina in the 15th minute vs. Hungary at the 1978 FIFA World Cup.
14: Diego SIMEONE wears the number 14 shirt for Argentina vs. Nigeria at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
13: Argentina play in their 13th draw all time at a FIFA World Cup vs. Netherlands at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
12: Guillermo STABILE scores for Argentina in the 12th minute vs. Chile at the 1930 FIFA World Cup.
11: Juan Sebastian VERON plays his last World Cup match for Argentina in nearly eight years vs. Sweden at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
10: Angel DI MARIA scores his 10th goal for Argentina vs. Switzerland at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
9: Argentina number 9 Gabriel BATISTUTA gets his last ever yellow card for Argentina vs. England at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
8: Argentina played in their 8th all time knockout match at a FIFA World Cup vs. Yugoslavia at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
7: Claudio CANIGGIA scores his 7th goal for Argentina vs. Italy at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
6: Claudio CANIGGIA scores his 6th goal for Argentina vs. Brazil at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
5: Argentina win by 5 goals vs. the United States at the 1930 FIFA World Cup.
4: Argentina played in the final of the 1930 FIFA World Cup where Uruguay scored 4 goals.
3: Argentina played in final number 3 in 12 years at the 1990 FIFA World Cup.
2: Argentina win their 2nd FIFA World Cup by defeating West Germany in the final of the 1986 FIFA World Cup.
