Diego Maradona match career reports (1976-1997)

1979 FIFA Youth World Cup championship (Group stage)

26/08/1979 Argentina 5-0 Indonesia

Stadium: Omiya, Japan

Spectators: 15,500






Before I get into the Argentinian side of the events, I came across a retrospective view from the Indonesian side. I can’t vouch for its authenticity or corroborate its story but I found it and translated it online.

Translated:
There is a story that maybe not all Indonesian football lovers know when the U-20 Indonesian national team faced Argentina in the 1979 U-20 World Cup in Japan.

The story behind the match between the Indonesian U-20 national team against Argentina, which was strengthened by Diego Maradona, was told directly by one of the Garuda Muda players at that time, Mundari Karya.

According to Mundari Karya, many unusual things happened before the match against Argentina, one of which was an instruction from the Match Commissioner who asked the Indonesian team not to play rough with Diego Maradona.

According to Mundari Karya, the match supervisor in charge of signing the dressing room for the Indonesian national team and talking to the U-20 national team coach at that time, the late Soetjipto Soentoro.

“At that time, the match supervisor told us through the coach not to play rough with Diego Maradona. Because, he said Diego Maradona was an asset to the world at that time," Mundari Karya told Bola.com, Monday (10/8/2020).

According to Mundari Karya, the match supervisor came and said this because not many people really know about the development of Indonesian football.

As a result, the organizing committee through the match supervisor expressed their fear if anything untoward happened to Diego Maradona, who at that time had become a world football star.

Panpel and match supervisors were afraid the Indonesian players would play rough and get Maradona injured.

"Understandably, the Indonesian national team at that time was not widely known by the world community. That's why they were afraid that Maradona would be injured because he was called a world asset. And it did happen, when Maradona was fouled on the left side, the referee issued a yellow card, he said.

https://m.bola.com/indonesia/read/4...-u-20-1979-dilarang-mencederai-diego-maradona





As for the Argentinian view, La Nación headlined: “A positive attack and a solid job”

“The Omiya stadium, assisted at moments, religiously the show of Argentina and its superstar Maradona.”

“The Japanese fans enjoyed the goals, felt it was their own and left pronouncing the name of Maradona”


El Gráfico captioned on their front cover: “Maradona, the “vedette” of the world championship in Japan, scored two goals against Indonesia”

El Gráfico
“One half to kill and the other to wait”

Poor Indonesia, they had arrived as guests to Japan to replace North Korea, but they clearly were one of the biggest minnows in Youth World Cup history. They finished with the unenviable record of conceding 16 goals in the tournament without scoring. They seemed to be in awe of the Argentinians and simply saw the back jersey of Diego’s number 10 all night. And If the Argentinians did not score in the second half it was because they had put their foot off the gas and did not want to continue to humiliate their opponents.



Maradona had been irresistible, scoring two mesmerizing goals beating one player after another. For the Maradoniano fans, these two goals were for the archive of soloist works of art.

Here was a good live broadcast look of his goals with the original narration of Mauro Viale and Enrique Macaya, from Argentina.


Ramon Diaz had also woken up with a hattrick and it would prove to be the key for Argentina’s aspirations.

Menotti said afterward: “I’m the first one to be an enemy against the comparisons of Pelé-Maradona, but today after the game I said to Pocini (his right hand man) that if in this century someone arrives that compares to him, it is Maradona”

“I’m not going to say that he is yet the best in the world, but since Pelé no longer plays, I have to say that if someone is to reach his level it is Maradona.”

Sterner tests lay ahead against two Eastern European sides, Yugoslavia and Poland.

Summary: 2 goals

 

1979 FIFA Youth World Cup championship (Group stage)

28/08/1979 Argentina 1-0 Yugoslavia

Stadium: Omiya, Japan

Spectators: 15,500





This game kind of went under the radar with little textual information available. El Gráfico glossed over the rest of the group stage matches until the knockout stages and other newspapers from Argentina I could not find. And It’s hard to track down the Yugoslavian point of view. The only thing going is that it was a game that has surfaced on film in its entirety with Japanese coverage. Maradona had been tightly marked by Mitrovic in a difficult first half, according to Diego’s website. It would be the only time where Diego did not score in the competition.



Next up was Poland.

 

Some excellent photos not so long ago were published from a Japanese photographer that was at those games.

 

1979 FIFA Youth World Cup championship (Group stage)

30/08/1979 Argentina 4-1 Poland

Stadium: Omiya, Japan

Spectators: 12,500




So the presumed most difficult opponent in the group, according to Menotti, was easily defeated with Maradona paving the way after just 7 minutes with a thundering shot from some 30 meters out from an indirect free kick. The game was virtually wrapped up by halftime with Argentina holding a comfortable lead 3-1.

The goal at the 36th second mark:


La Nación headlined: “A great victory”

For Argentina, this newspaper pointed out the fine performances from Calderon and Rinaldi as the best and said this about Maradona:
“Without shining like he knows how to, he had moments of great lucidness. His early goal handled concerns and he had decisive actions on the rest of the game”



Menotti would later say that he almost didn’t field Maradona in order to preserve his energies for the knockout stages. From a psychological point of view he wanted Diego to have less pressure and he wanted him to play more like in the first game where he touched the ball first time with touch and goes looking for the open man and then hitting the opponent by surprise, like Pelé used to do. But in these last two games he was excessively forcing the actions, holding onto the ball more than Menotti wanted him to.

El Gráfico


The Polish view retrospectively (translated)
“The 1979 World Under-20 World Cup in Japan had one hero. A year after the adult World Cup, where he was missing, Diego Maradona became the best player in the 1979 Youth World Cup. Marek Chojnacki: - Argentina was with us in the group, we stayed at the same Prince Hotel in Tokyo. His mere presence caused great confusion. And on the pitch, he was unstoppable. During the match with us, Piotrek Skrobowski was supposed to watch over him, but he simply couldn't. He scored our first goal, it ended 4: 1. And the second star of Argentina and the entire tournament was Menotti, who, apart from the first representation, was also the coach of the youth team (Maybe, if the Poles were Andrzej Iwan, a semi-finalist from the European Championships, and then a senior representative, he would be the number 3 star?). Maradona's goal with Poland was phenomenal.

https://numer10.pl/2017/11/10/polsk...ny-mistrzostwa-swiata-do-lat-20-japonia-1979/

Another Polish view
Suddenly everything clicked and we started winning. And we actually won the bronze back then. There was the World Cup for the victory, gold medals for the second place, silver medals for the third, and we were given bronze medals. We enjoyed them very much. Anyway, we should win this match, because we had many situations, including a penalty kick - says Skrobowski (with Zbigniew Bońek in the photo above). - Back then, the U-20 World Cup did not differ much from the seniors' World Cup. The players who played in Japan then added. After all, Argentina was led by the famous coach Cesar Luis Menotti, who won the world championship with his seniors a year earlier. And it included Diego Maradona, among others - he points out.

And it was the match against Argentina, or actually the performance against Diego Maradona, that stuck in the memory of not only Skrobowski, but also Marek Chojnacki.

- We stayed with him in the same hotel. He was great, and in the final he beat the USSR by himself. I had the pleasure to play against him - says Chojnacki.

And Skrobowski adds that already in 1979 Maradona was treated as the biggest star. He compares it to the celebrities of the present day - Cristiano Ronaldo or Leo Messi. - We have not had contact with such a big star so far. Maradona was already an idol then. Now 20 or 30 journalists deal with the staff. And then so many people came to cover almost every step of Maradona. For us it was shocking how you can make a star out of a footballer. Everything revolved around him - says Skrobowski. - I just happened to play him and they were laughing at me that it was too easy for him. Later, I played two more times against Maradona, but already in Buenos Aires. We won once and lost once - he reminds.https://www.laczynaspilka.pl/specja...9-maradona-i-zegarki-ktore-przeszly-kolo-nosa

Argentina had won the group and now awaited the surprise team of Algeria who had defeated Spain and mustered draws against Mexico and Japan.

Summary: 1 goal (indirect free kick)

 

1979 FIFA Youth World Cup championship Quarterfinals

02/09/1979 Argentina 5-0 Algeria

Stadium: Tokyo, Japan

Spectators: 20,000



Tokyo was the city which would witness Argentina dispatch the surprising Algerian team. It was said that Algeria played attractive football but were simply no match to the Albiceleste side, which once again had Maradona pave the way with another indirect free kick goal after 25 minutes. Diego would only play 55 minutes because Menotti wanted to rest him, a decision that did not sit well with Argentina’s captain.

La Nación headlined: “Another brilliant display”



Algeria only really matched Argentina for the first 15 minutes or so or until one of their key defenders, Djenadi, had to be replaced after suffering an injury. From that point on it was said that Maradona became “uncontainable” which resulted in a barrage of continuous fouls, one of them that would lead to the opening goal. Argentina won well and were in the semifinals and now awaited one of their biggest tests, the always difficult team of Uruguay, who had a personal rivalry against their neighbors and were one of the main favorites to win the title along with the Soviets and Argentinians.


Maradona’s goal
https://m.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=10&v=_wsQbm91Mds&feature=emb_title

This one has an excellent view from different angles and the foul that led to the free kick
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x7xus7m

At this stage Maradona was the main star of the competition, with the Japanese tabloids headlining: “Maradona, another Pelé” — Mainichi Daily news.

El Gráfico


Summary: 1 goal (indirect free kick)

 

Absolutely. In football there are two types of free kicks: direct and indirect. Both are awarded based on infringements and as long as the indirect free kick that is scored was only made by one touch from a teammate to the shooter from a stationary dead ball, then it’s considered a free kick by the laws of football (Law 13).

https://img.fifa.com/image/upload/datdz0pms85gbnqy4j3k.pdf

 

1979 FIFA Youth World Cup championship Semifinals

04/09/1979 Argentina 2-0 Uruguay

Stadium: Tokyo, Japan

Spectators: 20,000




The last time these two teams had met had been in the World Cup qualifiers held in Montevideo, Uruguay. On both occasions Argentina were unable to win and had accused the home side of getting away with violent tactics on and off the pitch which ended in a brawl with the local police attacking the Argentinian players. Now on neutral grounds and for a place in the final as the ultimate prize, Argentina were geared up to take on their neighbor rivals and avenge what had happened in the sudamericano. Uruguay had not conceded a goal up until that point and were quite confident that they could repeat their same achievements of the previous encounters. The Uruguayan media had stirred things up in the prelude, vowing they would beat the Argentinians and challenged their opponents’ credentials and character.

The match was played under a torrential rain which drew similarities of their encounter in World Cup ‘86 when a storm had unleashed in the second half. At that time Maradona had been irresistible and according to his own words his best match. At Japan ‘79 he would retrospectively consider this game his best in the competition.

La Nación headlined: “With an excellent level of football”



The newspaper said of Diego’s game: “His skill and technique gravitated in the buildup and attack of the team”

Although Diego had been one of the high points and scorer of Argentina’s second goal with an open goal header which finished the Uruguayan’s off, the newspaper regarded Juan Barbas as the best performer for his outstanding deployment in energy and qualities.



Here is an interesting look at Maradona’s highlights of the Youth World Cup. Starting from 6:15 the Uruguay game.


His goal through El Gráfico’s photos:


Now Maradona and his country would face the defending world champions of the Soviet Union, a stern test which would either ratify Diego’s fame and qualities as the promising future world star or bring his hype down back to earth.

Summary: 1 goal (header)

 

Below I get into the final here’s a great look back into the Youth World Cup 1979 film in English. It included the preview of each team and special focus on the last rounds with Martin Tyler calling the games (I think).



Stay tuned for the summary of Maradona vs the pre-tournament favorites and defending world champions the USSR.

 

I believe it had a major influence on the voters + the previous international praise he had received from Argentina’s senior NT tour around Europe.

To emphasize the Youth World Cup argument: this was at the time a prestigious tournament, shown to millions around the world as FIFA wanted to propagandize their second most important event by attracting global audiences.

 

Full highlights of that game:

 

Before I get into the match details of the final I found an interesting Soviet piece by the Soviet player Igor Gurinovich, who retrospectively spoke about that final as it remains in his memories as a striking moment in his career as well as the situation of the USSR team. He even considered Ramon Diaz the more talented player over Maradona. An interesting piece from the Soviet perspective.

A lengthy translation
It was a tournament for 20-year-olds, the team was led by Sergey Korshunov. At the same time, there was a U-23 team led by Nikolaev. Valentin Aleksandrovich often connected me to senior matches. I was lucky to play with great masters: Gazzaev, Baltacha, Shengelia, Daraselia, Gutsaev ... All the elite of Soviet football came out of this “youth team”, which won the European Championship in 1976. But our team was also good: Chanov, Taran, Dumansky, Yanushevsky, Gamula, Radenko ...

From 1977 to 1979, we lost only a few matches in all tournaments. In 1978, we also won gold in Europe for the “youths” and, in my opinion, we automatically got a ticket to the junior “world championship”. We kept self-confidence and drove with the hope, if not of victory, then at least of getting into the prizes.

Besides me, Belarus was represented by Vitya Yanushevsky. We were always well received, because the team was international and friendly. There weren't many Russians either: Ukrainians, Armenians, Azerbaijanis ... They came to the team with pleasure and, filled with enthusiasm, fought for the honor of one big country, for the coach Korshunov, whom they loved and respected very much. And with Janik they also settled together: first in the national team, later in “Dynamo”.

His death at 32, shrouded in mystery, came as a real shock. To be honest, I still don't know what to believe in. Some say one thing, others another. Where the truth is - you can't tell ...

Before leaving for the World Cup, according to tradition, it was necessary to listen to the patriotic instructions of the sports leadership. I remember that they dressed all the players in some kind of gray suits in GUM, put them on a bus and sent them to the Sports Committee, where they made an appointment with the chairman. We drive up, and Gorshkov, a famous Soviet figure skater, leaves the Sports Committee. He looks at us and, already leaving, turns around: "Damn, the Chinese thought!" And then the Chinese all wore the same - blue trousers and jackets. In the Soviet Union, the choice of outfits was also not very rich, therefore, from foreign trips, whenever possible, he brought home some clothes - some fashionable things that you would not find in the USSR. I tried to dress up my relatives a little.

But Japan, naturally, was primarily associated with hardware. And already upon arrival, I made an impression with its multi-level roads. From the bottom of the car, from the top - trains. At that time, thirty-five years ago, to see this is just a culture shock. And also football fields. On such, as in Japan, play at that time was not possible. From a distance - like an artificial one. The quality is just awesome. So that on the trip we would not be very tempted by capitalist delights, a couple from the KGB were assigned to the team. Such silent ones. We all laughed, tried to walk so that they would not see us. And those eyes on the sides op-op-op - where, who, what. Well, that's their job.

Unfortunately, before the start of the tournament I managed to find myself in the infirmary. We went to the base in Khabarovsk for a ten-day training camp. In one of the games, I pulled a muscle - they diagnosed some kind of overstrain. Therefore, the starting fights in Japan had to be missed. By that time, we had already won two victories: over Hungary - 5: 1 and Guinea - 3: 0, which ensured an exit to the playoffs. I first appeared on the field in the third match against Uruguay, which did not decide anything. Unfortunately, we lost 0: 1. They write, they say, we deliberately "lost” so that we would not meet with Argentina before the final. But I don't remember something like that - it looks more like nonsense.

It has already become more difficult in the playoffs. At the first stage, they parted with Paraguay, and the ticket to the next round had to be won in a penalty shootout. Unfortunately, I screwed up my attempt - I hit the bar. Although he could have brought the team a victory earlier than goalkeeper Chanov did in the ninth series of blows with the score 5: 5. He worked with his legs decently, so to the coach's call “Vitya, go hit!” responded without embarrassment. I overclocked and how I gave - no chance for a colleague. For the sake of principle, I vowed that I would no longer take the penalty. And the next time I came to the “point” only a couple of years later in the match with “Torpedo” from Kutaisi. Good luck. True, they soon played at a party with “Zalgiris”. It was the 85th minute, Minsk “Dynamo” was inferior 1: 2, penalty ... And again did not score! ..

After defeating Paraguay, we got to Poland in the semifinals. We constantly beat them, but always not without problems. This, of course, was not written anywhere at that time, but the Poles did not really like us. The rivalry went on at knives. And you have to understand: there was only one step left before the World Cup final - an easy match, by definition, could not be. As a result, we squeezed a minimum - 1: 0.

Before the final, we felt excitement mixed with a great desire to win. We enter the field: 52 thousand people (mostly Japanese), an ensemble, live music - almost like adults. Indescribable feelings! First time I played with so many fans. It later happened to go out on the lawn of his native “Dynamo”, when its stands were bursting with the influx of spectators.

Argentina in rivals - you can't think of a better motivator. Maradona was already famous at that time - he was a promoted character. The year before, in 1978, Diego was listed as a candidate for participation in the adult world championship, held in his homeland. But then Cesar Menotti unhooked the young talent from the squad on the eve of the tournament, which upset Maradona very much. He later admitted that he never forgave the coach for that decision. Although Menotti also coached the youth team - how they got along, I don't know.

However, Ramon Diaz, the top scorer of the tournament, left a much greater imprint on his memory. At nineteen, the guy seemed like the most experienced striker. And, as for me, he looked much preferable to Maradona, who was just well publicized. Diaz later performed a lot in Italy, although for some reason he did not become a star of a planetary scale.

We did not play in the final Zavarov - a loss, of course, significant. He is also a very good footballer, technical, the transfer could be cool - in a word, a nugget. To be honest, I don’t remember why Sasha missed the decisive match: either an injury, or a disqualification, or simply didn’t put in the lineup. Although without Zavarov, the case at first was argued. Yes, the Argentines attacked more actively, often tried to open the defense with individual actions, but we held on firmly.

And soon after the break, Ponomarev brought the team forward: gave the right to Stukashov, ran thirty meters to the center of the penalty area, received a reverse gear and famously shot his head close to the bar from the penalty area. The Argentines were desperate enough. As I remember now: Menotti calls Maradona to him, they are emotionally talking about something, Diego turns and starts yelling at partners! It's like the energizers have inserted it. The humidity is high, stuffiness, it's hard to run, but they jerked so that they just crushed us. They quickly wheeled in a C and that was all. Masters. What can you say here?

Although there was a chance to keep the advantage. Take the same penalty kick assigned when the score is 1: 0. The Argentines pressed, the game often shifted into our penalty area, and in one of these attacks there was an annoying episode. In my opinion, Maradona shot from the left, and Khachatryan went to intercept. At the same time, he didn’t fall, didn’t roll in the tackle, but the ball somehow absurdly hit him in the hand, and the referee pointed to the “spot” without hesitation. Well, Diaz's second goal is a masterpiece. The man raced through half the field, surrounded all the defense and from 12 meters shot past Chanov with his left. I say - he was more talented than Maradona. Although Diego scored a free-kick in a couple of minutes. There was neither time nor energy to save the situation.

Together with the final whistle, fans poured out onto the field, there was general jubilation, hugs with the triumphant. And the losers have a dressing room meeting. We sit downcast, silent - no one can utter a word. After all, our psychology was different. The awareness that they lived in the Soviet Union, that they represented a great power - this obliged and stimulated. That is, the second place is a real tragedy. However, Korshunov came in: “Guys, why did you hang your heads? Have you lost or what? Not! You won the silver at the World Championship! ” He was basically a man laconic, spoke briefly and to the point. But cool - both as a person and as a coach. I read later that he liked to drink. True, no one in the team has ever seen him violate the regime. I would not have thought!

For the second place, everyone was paid $ 260 - right after the tournament, on the spot. They were also lowered there. Brought a turntable, amplifier and vinyl records. At that time - oh-very cool. It's like having an expensive car now. Among the souvenirs there is still a samurai robe. True, not a combat one, but one that is worn after a battle.

At the end of the tournament, the "Playboy" company took over the patronage of the USSR national team. I decided to sponsor us for shopping and leisure. The next day, we boarded a plane and flew to the Philippines - to their luxury villa on the ocean. Naturally, the trip made a strong impression on twenty-year-old Soviet guys. We lay in the pool, and girls-bunnies with ears and tails brought Coca-Cola (there was no alcohol there). We felt a bit like capitalists. Probably, this was done for advertising purposes, after all, the team won the silver medal. Reporters dropped in and took pictures. It worked well for me. [...]

https://www.pressball.by/articles/author/matchofmylife/88123

 

1979 FIFA Youth World Cup championship Final

07/09/1979 Argentina 3-1 Soviet Union

Stadium: Tokyo, Japan

Spectators: 52,000

Referee: José Roberto Wright (Brazil)







And so the final showdown between the two best teams in the Youth footballing world. The Soviets on paper and reputation were the favorites, but were missing a key player, Zavarov, and Argentina had convinced more throughout the campaign with an undefeated record and the best attack with a solid defense that only had conceded 1 goal. It was to be Maradona’s greatest test in his career thus far and lots of expectations were set for him to conquer Japanese fields by overthrowing the throne of the defending world champions.

For the standards of that time this coronation had been met with the greatest enthusiasm back home as almost equal to the senior world championship in 1978. The people had been eagerly waking up in the early hours of Argentina to listen to the radio or watching from their small television sets the brilliant displays from the Albiceleste boys. They had been greatly appreciated and would receive the boys back home with a standing ovation in great honor to Argentina’s greatest international achievement on foreign soil. The triumph would cement Maradona’s name forever in the annals of Argentinian galore, wrapped in gold as the first captain to conquer a Youth World championship for his nation.

The match itself had been difficult and Argentina had to dig deep to pull out a victory after trailing in the second half. The team had been magnificent with Ramon Diaz a key figure in Argentina’s offense and Juan Barbas and defender Simon rock solid at the back. Diego Maradona had been as great as the publicity had forecasted and the world throne as best player was starting to take shape.

El Gráfico
“Japan will never forget about this Youth Argentinian team”



La Nación said of Diego of his final performance: “He did not shine like we’d like him to, but his talent appeared in that free kick”.... and they added that he was fundamentally decisive in the tournament thanks to his talented virtues that made him the most attractive star in the competition.



As the celebrations took place, songs from Argentinian fans started to take shape, like:

“Maradona is not for sale
he will not leave
Maradona is Argentinian
a National patrimony”

Here’s a different view of the goals with crowd noise.


Another view with Maradona’s goal from behind the net.


Full match in Japanese with trophy celebrations and preview


Full match in Spanish Argentinian language but without trophy celebration


Summary: 1 goal (free kick)

 

Some final reflections and photos regarding this competition that coronated Diego’s global fame.

Diego was a world champion and the king at Youth level by being voted as the FIFA best player of the competition. He had confirmed his reputation as the world’s youngest best player and to this day he’s the only Argentinian captain to lead his country to a Youth and senior world championship, both on foreign soil.

 

After the tournament was over El Gráfico reviewed each player with final grades for their entire performance throughout the competition. Maradona received the highest notes with the perfect grade of a 10!

It read: “Another tournament that confirms his dimension of crack. But not only in the footballing aspect was he a crack. Because Diego, like the great ones, was humble to fight for every ball, to encourage his teammates, to never give up and soak himself in the sweat of the simplest of workers”



Maradona’s complete highlights of Japan ‘79