| |
Passarella lifted the World Cup in front of 77,000 delirious fans in Buenos Aires. Allsport Hulton/Archive |
Passarella was an instinctive sweeper with a strategic sense of defending that made him a natural leader on the field and earned him the nickname "El Gran Capitan" as he led host nation Argentina to victory in 1978.
His game relied on his positional judgement and coolness under pressure but he was also an important attacking player, regularly striding forward into midfield with the ball, and a dangerous goalscorer at freekicks or with his head from set-pieces.
In 1978 the Argentine players carried the hyper-expectations of a nation worked into a frenzy by the ruling military junta, but Passarella never showed the pressure, even as Argentina struggled through its opening matches.
After edging past Hungary 2-1, Passarella's penalty helped secure a 2-1 win over France and a place in the second round.
After a 2-0 win over Poland and a goalless draw with Brazil, Argentina advanced to the final with a 6-0 win over Peru that has been a favorite subject for soccer conspiracy theorists ever since.
But while Argentina benefited from home advantage, it was also playing the most attractive soccer of the tournament under Cesar Luis Menotti's enlightened coaching and Passarella's captaincy.
In the final, Argentina allowed the Dutch a late equalizer and survived an even later scare when Rob Resenbrink hit the post, but Passarella rallied his players for extra time and Mario Kempes' brilliance sealed a 3-1 victory. Passarella became the first Argentine to lift the World Cup in front of 77,000 delirious fans in Buenos Aires.
Passarella played again in 1982, but Argentina's defense stalled in the second round, although Passarella scored a memorable freekick in a 2-1 defeat by Italy.
