Never has the World Cup been so identified with a protagonist. He stopped being Mexico ’86 to become Maradona ’86. For that tournament, the heavenly Diego entered football’s Olympus headlong and in a fit of genius stood by Pelé’s side. Messi would come years later, but that’s another story. After his exploits against Italy, England and Belgium, after receiving dozens of fouls from the Koreans and his outstanding performance against Uruguay, the ten were left with one topic: Germany. And he approved it and took the title he deserved with his talent and generosity.

Italy is holding a football summit

It was the first of three finals that Argentina and Germany will play. The others would be Italy in ’90 and Brazil in 2014. And the first went fairly to Argentina: 3-2, a result that lies in development: Germany was never close to Argentina in terms of football. That final was to be played at El Campín in Bogotá, but in 1982, in a 97-word speech, President Belisario Betancur officially announced Colombia’s withdrawal from the 1986 tournament it had been awarded. There were other priorities, he said. Of course, schools and hospitals are open, although the list of schools and hospitals that are open thanks to said decline has never been published. And Mexico, which always has a network ready, accepted it.

The final epic 78 and the champion of Argentina…!

Then it was Azteca, the giant of DF, the one that covered the glory of Maradona, with 114,600 spectators at their doorstep. And, according to FIFA, with 2,000 million watching it on TV. Germany came after being runners-up in Spain in ’82, more because of that German combination of efficiency and fight than because of their excellent qualities on the ball. Four years ago, it was clearly inferior to Italy, and now it was to the Albiceleste. The respected Franz Beckenbauer, a kind of pope in his country, was the coach. Germany reached the final after a bad series: 1-1 vs. Uruguay 2-1 against Scotland, 0-2 against Denmark, 1-0 against Morocco, 0-0 and victory on penalties against Mexico and in the semi-final 2-0 over France, the same France they defeated in the semi-final in Spain. And in the final, he did not come out of that environment. He had a few soldiers left from the previous cup and hired Schumacher; Brehme, Berthold, Jakobs, Karlheinz Forster and Briegel; Eder, Matthäus and Magath; Rummenigge and Klaus Allofs. Then Rudi Völler replaced the non-existent, invisible Allofs, and Dieter Hoeness replaced Félix Magath. kaiser he set up a line of five defenders, a sign that he was afraid of Maradona. So much so that he had one of his best men—Lothar Matthäus—to leave a personal stamp for Pibe de Oro all over the pitch. The same thing that Berti Vogts did, with good results, with Cruyff in 1974, although this time it didn’t work: Maradona had a strong influence on the result.

Brazil 4 – Italy 1: the match of the century…?

After re-watching the finals of 1966, 1982 and this one from 1986, the words of Hartmut Scherzer, the fantastic German journalist who was awarded by FIFA for participating in 16 World Cups, resonate with us: “Germany had many talents, including today’s, but they are good players, not geniuses”. We are left with this after seeing Rummenigge, Matthäus, Magath and many other renowned artists. Only Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller and Breitner are in the higher echelons.

In contrast, Carlos Bilardo hired Pompidou; Cuciuffo, Brown, Ruggeri and Olarticoechea; Giusti, Batista, Enrique and Burruchaga; Maradona and Valdano. Without 9 and practically without anyone at the top, because Valdano is back almost to the middle of the field. But with a very robust midrange, it just edged out Germany in that area as well. The doctor who gained fame at Estudiantes de La Plata has always believed that the real football battlefield is in the middle.

It is often heard that Maradona played the best World Cup in history, although he did not shine in the final. An exhaustive analysis refutes this. He didn’t score big goals, he was less ostentatious than in previous games, but he gravitated, he was very important. He touched the ball 51 times, 36 positive (good plays, precise and deep touches) and 15 negative (lost balls), and he received 10 fouls, some serious. His influence was decisive even in this: in the 21st minute, Matthäus brushed him from behind with a terrifying attack, and from there came the beginning of the goal. Maradona took the free kick and put the ball on the head of Brown, who with a very bad start Schumacher scored before the empty net. In the end, Matthäus was booked for the tackle and has since lost weight in the game as he had to fend for himself. A very average player, Matthäus.

Diego, in addition, in the 84th minute threw a wonderful pass between the lines for Burruchagi to convert 3 into 2. The first touch of the chosen one. And he always faced, complicated. Did he win the World Cup himself, how is that embedded in the popular imagination…? Absolutely not. No one wins alone: ​​football is a game of eleven. Yes, it was the flag that inspired, the engine that promoted the idea. Argentina was a team with a good middle class: Burruchaga (team leader) and Olarticoechea were outstanding footballers, and there were also hardworking people, like Ruggeri, Valdano, Brown, Enrique, Batista, Pumpido. They gave him a lot of support and everyone worked to provide the genius with a reliable environment. Very similar to what Argentina did in 2022 with Messi. Alexis Mac Allister drew it recently: “We had the best in the world, we knew he could win us champions if we supported him and made him feel good on the pitch.” That’s how it went. And with Diego too.

“The conversations in the dressing room were huge, Passarella, Ruggeri, Maradona, Pumpido, Brown were talking… There was something special about that team: everyone was the captain of their club team, so there was a lot of personality,” said Ricardo Bochini. The Argentine team had incredible determination, with plenty of temperament to score, press and fulfill the role of each of them.

In contrast, Germany were completely devoid of creativity, a team without play, without association, without spark or individuality, even without a leader. One of the worse players we analyzed. After two corners from the left, Germany, who were 2-0 down, managed to equalize in very similar plays, with two separate headers going to the penalty spot. The first, which was used by Rummenigge (his only goal of the tournament) and Völler. But immediately came the third from Argentina in a great definition of Burruchaga.

Azteca’s terrain was not good: parched, uneven, somewhat bare in areas, light years from today’s currents. FIFA has not yet implemented young ball catchers: if the ball went into the stands, the player had to approach and ask for it to come back, which is unusual. The Brazilian Romualdo Arppi Filho also had a perfect performance, perhaps too harsh towards Maradona, whom he warned for a slight protest. He did not give a minute of added time in any half. That’s how it was then.

Behind one of the arches flew a huge white and light blue flag with the legend “Sorry, Bilardo”, which became famous. As happened with Enzo Bearzot in 1982, the Argentine press was scathing, almost bloody with the coach until he arrived in Mexico. The reality is that the criticism was justified: Argentina was terrible. But it was getting to the World Cup, winning the first game against South Korea and correcting the course. There, the team interpreted Bilardo’s idea, consolidated his game, concentrated at the back, was very strong in the head, and the rest was the work of Maradona. This usually happens with big teams. They quickly correct course.

It was not a brilliant moment in world football. Maradona gave him the light.