Football World Cup 1978 as a tool for propaganda by Junta?

The junta attempted to use the World Cup to conceal the ‘Dirty War’ of 1976-1983. The ‘Dirty War’ was an ongoing campaign of state terrorism, aiming to wipe out left-wing opponents. During this period, those affiliated with the left of the political spectrum were exposed to extreme violence and countless human rights abuses.

The military leaders recognized the World Cup as a key instrument for maintaining their power, putting down dissent and covering up human rights violations and to gain popular support from the people and prolong its authority.

The 1978 World Cup is considered the biggest manipulation of sports as a political tool since the 1936 Olympics in Nazi Germany: the junta ensured victory through a series of gamesmanship tactics such as match stalling, playing their games in the evening so they would know the scores, playing on the best pitches and leaving other teams to play in awful conditions.

The most famous case of the "trick" was the match fixing between Argentina and Peru whereby Argentina needed a 4-0 win to progress to the finals over Brazil. Argentina won the game 6-0 progressing to play the Netherlands in the final.

A range of allegations have emerged about Argentina's victory over Peru. Among them, that Peruvians players were offered money to let in goals and that Videla brokered a secret deal with Peru’s leader, General Morales-Bermudez, that reportedly involved a non-reimbursable financial donation from the Videla government.

March 5, 1977, Morales Bermúdez received the Argentine dictator Rafael Videla at the Government Palace

Former Peruvian Senator Genaro Ledesma revealed in an interview in 2012, that the shock result between Argentina and Peru in 1978 was agreed upon before the match by the dictatorships of the two countries.

Argentina went on to beat the Netherlands in the final by 3-1 during extra-time and became the FIFA World Football Champion.

Despite the success of Junta's plan, World Cup simultaneously brought unintended international attention to the human rights abuses occurring in Argentina.

"It hurts to know that we were a distraction," according to former player Osvaldo Ardiles. "We were used as propaganda by the military, but we also served as a balm for many oppressed people who were able to go out onto the streets again, wrapped in an Argentine flag."

Another former player, Ricardo Julio Villa, said that shots could be heard from the hotel where the Argentina team was staying:

"I assume my responsibility. I did not see anything beyond the ball. Unfortunately, one gets used to everything. We had to leave our car a hundred meters away, and then we would find two Army checkpoints that checked our bags and belongings before entering the hotel. At night, we would see the soldiers and hear shots. They used us to cover up the disappearances of people who thought differently. I feel cheated...They gave us the ball, we played, and we didn't know about anything else," he told sports magazine Marca.