40 years after victory: disputing memories over the 1978 World Cup in Argentina

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article discusses the memories of the 1978 World Cup in Argentina from the country’s re-democratization after its last dictatorship (1976–1983) to 2018, when the 40th anniversary of the event was celebrated. At first, upon return to democracy, the most widespread memory of the 1978 World Cup – regarding both its organization and the victory – was from a critical perspective. But the idea of resistance was highlighted in the context of the reopening, under the Kirchner governments (2003–2015), of the legal proceedings in 2006. In 2018, the 40th anniversary of the World Cup was almost forgotten under the presidency of Maurício Macri. The purpose of this paper is to identify what led to this evolution, working from the idea that constructions of memory reflect the disputes and issues of the present, whath allows us to broaden the debate about the way Argentine society engages with its recent past.