Antonio Rattín’s death on 11 July came in one of those twists that only fate can throw up. Just a few hours later, Argentina booked a mouth-watering World Cup semi-final against England. His passing came exactly six decades after the countries’ first meeting in the knockout stages of a World Cup – a deeply controversial encounter at Wembley that saw Rattín sit defiantly on a pitch-side red carpet meant for the Queen for several minutes before finally being escorted away.
A Boca Juniors legend who spent 15 years with the club, Rattín was an elegant midfielder and the captain of that Argentina side. The country had never lacked gifted footballers, but after more than a decade in Brazil’s shadow, a siege mentality had taken hold and their style of play had acquired a harder edge. England’s players spoke afterwards of being spat at, pulled, elbowed in the ribs and generally roughed up.
It was after a robust challenge on Bobby Charlton that German referee Rudolf Kreitlein decided to send Rattín off for the alleged ‘violence of the tongue’ – an extraordinary explanation given that Kreitlein spoke neither Spanish nor Rattín German or English. From that moment, the rivalry only intensified.
England manager Sir Alf Ramsey famously referred to the Argentinians as “animals”, and that stereotype was reinforced by ill-tempered displays from Racing Club and Estudiantes against European opposition in the Intercontinental Cup over the following years.
Twenty years after Rattín’s dismissal, and four years after the Falklands War, the two nations met again at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico City. The whole world knows about Diego Maradona’s Hand of God goal, just as it remembers what followed: the Goal of the Century, as Maradona slalomed past half the England team before beating Peter Shilton. Victor Hugo Morales’ ecstatic commentary – “From what planet did you come?” – has become almost as iconic as the goal itself.
Twelve years later, Diego Simeone employed his own version of the dark arts to entice David Beckham into a retaliatory kick that earned the England midfielder a red card. Argentina eventually won the last-16 tie on penalties after Michael Owen’s wonder goal had given England the lead. Beckham, of course, gained his revenge four years later, his penalty helping England secure a victory that contributed to Argentina’s group-stage exit.
The teams have not met since, which is why Lionel Messi has never faced England during his glittering international career.
Rattín’s death may have closed one chapter, but the embers of this rivalry are ready to be stoked once more. Whether Thomas Tuchel or Lionel Scaloni chooses to play down the occasion is almost beside the point. Neither was even born when Rattín’s dismissal helped pave the way for the introduction of yellow and red cards at the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
Yet as England and Argentina prepare to renew acquaintances on football’s biggest stage, expect the media and supporters on both sides to revisit the “animals” remark, the Hand of God and Maradona’s masterpiece. Few international rivalries carry as much history, emotion and baggage, and this latest chapter promises to be every bit as compelling as those that came before.
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