The recurring theme in the lead-up to the World Cup emphasized the need for Argentina to remain faithful to its traditional approach to and style of fútbol.
Goles accuses AFA of ignoring the various problems afecting Argentine fútbol: the exods of talented players, the decline of quality fútbol, the fiscal mismanagement at clubs, the lack of stadium safety, etc.
Goles joins the chorus of other sports publications in lamenting the decline in the quality of fútbol in 1957, as well as the lack of new talent to replace those who have left the country.
Drawing on stereotypes, of sorts, Goles describes Soviet players as disciplined and well-trained but unimaginative and predicatble when it comes to their playing style.
One of the recurring criticisms in the press after the debacle of the 1958 World Cup was the fear of losing that took hold among players. But here, in 1957, we see this same theme of "derrotismo" appear. Goles acknowledges that losing is part of the…
Sívori's comments about Russian football subscribe to the prevailing notion in Argentina that others require excessive training because they are not as naturally skilled at soccer as Argentinians.
This deciding match for who would go to Sweden turned violent after Argentina took the lead. Several players were expelled, and Goles lays the blame squarely on the visiting Bolivian side for resorting to violence to avoid an embarassing score line.
Of note is that press coverage in 1958 heralded the return of Labruna to the national team one week before the team left for Sweden as a desperate attempt to fix a flawed team. However, Labruna featured here, in 1957, as a player whose contributions…
These articles reveal the surprise that many sports writers felt when Argentina lost to Bolivia by a score of 2-0. Yet, sports writers were already wary of the fortunes of the national team in the wake of high-profile transfers from various national…
A look into how Mogilevsky helped reshape Argentine fútbol in 1959 (and why his novel ideas were hardly continued by successors). This piece is timely as Argentina faced its biggest challenge (qualifying for the 1974 World Cup) after another…
Public sentiment against Estudiantes grows, especially in light of Argentina's failure to qualify for the 1970 World Cup; however, only Boca Juniors seems to possess the team unity and purpose of the team from La Plata.
The article shows surprise at how a celebratory moment to welcome the national team led to an expression of xenophobia not seen since the heyday of Eva Perón. The anti-Britishness also reflected old feelings about the Malvinas, all of which the…