César Luis Menotti Facts for Kids

César Luis Menotti, born on November 5, 1938, and passing away on May 5, 2024, was a famous Argentine football player and coach. People often called him El Flaco, which means "Slim". He is best known for leading the Argentine national team to win their first-ever FIFA World Cup in 1978. As a player, Menotti was a striker for well-known Argentine clubs like Rosario Central and Boca Juniors.

Playing Football: Menotti's Career as a Player
Becoming a Coach: Menotti's Early Managerial Days
Leading Argentina: World Cup Glory
Menotti's Later Coaching Career
Menotti's Personality
Passing Away
Honours and Achievements
See also

Playing Football: Menotti's Career as a Player

Menotti (left) with Miguel Gitano Juárez in Rosario Central. They later worked together at Newell's Old Boys.

César Luis Menotti started his professional football journey in 1960. He played for Rosario Central in Argentina's top league, the Primera División. His very first game was on July 3, where his team won 3–1 against Boca Juniors.

Menotti played four seasons with Rosario Central. Then, in 1964, he moved to Racing Club. A year later, in 1965, he joined Boca Juniors. With Boca Juniors, he won his first major title as a player: the 1965 Primera División championship.

In 1967, Menotti went to the North American Soccer League to play for the New York Generals. The next year, in 1968, he joined the famous Brazilian club Santos FC. There, he played alongside the legendary Pelé. With Santos, Menotti won several important titles in 1968. These included the Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, the Intercontinental Supercup, and the Campeonato Paulista. After his time with Santos, Menotti played for Clube Atlético Juventus before retiring from playing football in 1970.

Becoming a Coach: Menotti's Early Managerial Days

After he stopped playing, Menotti became good friends with a coach named Miguel "Gitano" Juárez. They traveled together to the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Menotti was really impressed by the Brazilian team's style of play, especially since his friend Pelé was their star. This experience made him decide to become a coach himself. He started by working as an assistant coach for Juárez at Newell's Old Boys.

Menotti won his first championship as a manager with Huracán in 1973. This was the Torneo Metropolitano. His Huracán team was very special and included talented players like Carlos Babington and René Houseman. Many people praised this team for their unique and exciting style of play. They are still considered one of the best Argentine teams ever. Huracán played 32 matches, winning 19 of them and scoring 62 goals.

Leading Argentina: World Cup Glory

In October 1974, César Luis Menotti was chosen to be the head coach of the Argentina national team. This was a very important role.

Winning the 1978 FIFA World Cup

Menotti was the coach when Argentina achieved a huge dream: winning their first-ever FIFA World Cup in 1978. They played against the Netherlands in the final match and won, making history for their country.

Success with Young Talent: The U20 Team

After the World Cup win, Menotti continued to show his coaching skills. In 1979, he led the Argentina U20 national team to victory. They won the World Youth Championship in Japan. A young and incredibly talented player named Diego Maradona was the star of that team.

The 1982 FIFA World Cup Challenge

At the 1982 FIFA World Cup, Argentina faced some tough challenges. They lost their first match to Belgium. The team had many famous players, including Maradona. Argentina then won against Hungary and El Salvador. However, in the second round, they lost to strong teams like Italy and Brazil.

Menotti's Later Coaching Career

After his time with the national team, Menotti became the head coach for Barcelona in 1983. During his time there, he helped the team win several important trophies. These included the Copa del Rey, the 1983 Copa de la Liga, and the 1983 Supercopa de España. He left Barcelona in 1984.

In January 2019, Menotti took on a new role. He was named the director of the Argentina National Teams. This meant he would help guide and oversee all of Argentina's national football teams.

Menotti's Personality

César Luis Menotti was known for his unique personality. He often seemed rebellious and had a cool, relaxed image. He usually wore long hair and dressed casually. In his conversations, he would often mention famous cultural figures, from writers like Ernesto Sabato to singers like Joan Manuel Serrat.

Passing Away

César Luis Menotti passed away on May 5, 2024, at the age of 85. He had been in the hospital for about a month due to severe anemia.

Honours and Achievements

Menotti achieved many great things both as a player and as a manager.

As a Player

Boca Juniors
- Primera División: 1965
Santos
- Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1968
- Intercontinental Supercup: 1968
- Campeonato Paulista: 1968

As a Manager

Huracán
- Primera División: 1973 Metropolitano
Barcelona
- Copa del Rey: 1982–83
- Copa de la Liga: 1983
- Supercopa de España: 1983
Argentina Youth
- Toulon Tournament: 1975
- FIFA U-20 World Cup: 1979
Argentina
- FIFA World Cup: 1978

Individual Awards

World Soccer 22nd Greatest Manager of All Time: 2013

César Luis Menotti facts for kids

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