Last update November 26, 2024 by Alberto Llopis
The history of football is full of events to forget. One of them is what happened in the World 1978 celebrated on Argentina whose champion would be precisely set the host and organizer of the tournament. In that tournament there was a party, over the years, It has been more than signaled by an alleged match-fixing: Argentina-Peru.
Argentina-Perú de 1978: The party of shame
First of all should contextualize. That 21 June 1978 both teams faced in the Gigante de Arroyito stadium in Rosario Central in a decisive match that could qualify for the Albiceleste for the final of the tournament as long as they got a victory 4 goals or more. At that time Argentina I was under the rule of the dictator Jorge Rafael Videla I had a very good relationship with Francisco Morales Bermudez, time dictator of Peru.
In this way, allegedly, it was agreed that the Argentines defeated without any opposition to their Peruvian rivals on goal difference that was needed, as it were. The Argentine government gave two large ships full of wheat to the Peruvian government and some players Peru they received, allegedly, 50.000 Dollars.
At that time FIFA There was no unified set times so Argentina I knew that 4 goal lead was enough, even so, the end result was 6-0 for local to the delight of the fans albiceleste outside enjoying the scandal. So much Videla as Morales They witnessed the match from the box seat, in fact, some Peruvian players claim that the Argentine dictator paid them a visit in the locker room before the start of game.
The evidence of what happened are many. One is the curious alignment that raised the Peruvian coach that day with several players who were not regular. Other, the modus operandi of several players in the game, one of them, Rodulfo Manzo, central defense, It was noted with great companions as Gorriti, Muñante Quiroga.
Anyway, the point is that Argentina achieved victory by goal difference he needed and stood in the final against Holland which he managed to defeat in overtime with two goals from the legendary Mario Kempes proclaimed champion of the world for the first time in its history to the delight of a country that lived a very complicated political situation. But nevertheless, on that Argentina-Peru always fly over suspicion.
