César Luis Menotti

After playing some games for the reserve team, Menotti debuted in Primera División playing for Rosario Central in 1960. His first professional match was on 3 July versus Boca Juniors, a 3–1 victory. On 27 November 1963, Menotti played a friendly for River Plate against Juventus. He scored in the 2–1 loss in Italy. The following June, he scored in another exhibition defeat, 2–1 away to Nacional in Montevideo, and was then approached by the host team. Menotti remained four seasons in Rosario Central prior to be transferred in 1964 to Racing, then moving to Boca Juniors in 1965, where he would win his first title as player, the 1965 Primera División. Two years later Menotti arrived to the North American Soccer League to play for the New York Generals. In 1968 Menotti was traded to Santos where he was teammate of Pelé and won the Torneio Roberto Gomes Pedrosa, a tournament later recognized as national championship of Brazil, of that year. Menotti signed with Clube Atlético Juventus, where he retired from football in 1970 after playing games and scoring twice.

Early career

After retiring from play, Menotti became friends with coach Miguel "Gitano" Juárez, with whom he traveled to the 1970 FIFA World Cup in Mexico. Fascinated by the Brazilian style of play led by his friend Pelé, he decided to become a coach himself. Menotti worked as coach assistant of Juárez in Newell's Old Boys. As manager, Menotti won his first title with Huracán, the 1973 Torneo Metropolitano with a side that included notable players such as Carlos Babington, Miguel Brindisi, Roque Avallay and the outstanding René Houseman. That squad was widely praised by the media due to their style of playing, being considered one of the best Argentine teams of all time. Huracán played 32 matches, winning 19 with 5 losses. The squad scored 62 goals and conceded 30.

Argentina national team

Menotti was appointed the head coach of the Argentina national team in October 1974. He led them to their first FIFA World Cup in 1978, defeating the Netherlands in the final. He had faced considerable criticism before the tournament when he excluded 17-year-old Diego Maradona from the squad, believing him to be too young to cope with the pressure. After the World Cup triumph, Menotti demanded for a large raise from the Argentine Football Association, which complicated his contract negotiations. The Uruguayan Football Association offered him US$1.1 million to lead their national team for four years, but were unsuccessful in their approach. In 1979, Menotti led the…

Menotti was born on 22 October 1938 in Rosario, Argentina. At the time, his father was working in San Miguel de Tucumán and the window of time to register his birth had already passed by the time he returned. Menotti was therefore registered as if he had been born on the day that his father went to the registry office, 5 November. While Menotti's documentation always carried the 5 November date, he always celebrated his birthday on 22 October. Menotti was the only child of Antonio Menotti and Olga Fasola, and grew up in Barrio Fisherton in Rosario. As a child he was nicknamed Cito, a shortening of Césarcito ("Little César"), though he believed it was a reference to Racing Club player Vicente Zito. He was known as El Flaco ("Slim") later in life. Antonio Menotti, an accomplished boxer and footballer, died of cancer in 1955, aged 51. The elder Menotti was a heavy smoker, a habit that the younger was also known for. César Luis Menotti had a growth removed from his right lung in 2011. Menotti died on 5 May 2024, at the age of 85, after being hospitalized for a month with severe anemia. The cause of death was stomach cancer. His funeral was held two days later at the Argentine Football Association's complex in Rosario, attended by figures including 1978 captain Daniel Passarella and incumbent national manager Lionel Scaloni. The President of Argentina, Javier Milei, described Menotti as a leader who had given "one of the biggest joys to the country".

Personality, influence…

Player

Boca Juniors

Primera División: 1965 Santos

Campeonato Brasileiro Série A: 1968

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 South American Games: 1982 Argentina

FIFA World Cup: 1978

Individual

World Soccer 22nd Greatest Manager of All Time: 2013