(Photo From : El Grafico, Historia de la seleccion Argentina, 1971-75)

By Dela S. A.



I know what you are thinking. Why would we post an image of a racist organization? How in the world could football ever associate with the Klu Klux Klan? All valid questions.

Argentina were scheduled to play a World Cup Qualifier against Bolivia at LaPaz on September 23, 1973. Argentina’s technical director Enrique Omar Sívori commissioned Miguel Ignomiriello to take a selective squad away for a period of time in Bolivia to be able to adjust to the country’s high altitude and play two matches. Their mission was to train there and win against Bolivia to qualify for the 1974 World Cup in World Germany, something they could not accomplish four years ago

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“Argentina also wanted to host the World Cup 1978, but they were in competition with Brazil. Legendary forward(who Alfredo Di Stefano recognized as the greatest player of all time) Adolfo Pedernera, with all his experience, had failed to qualify for the World Cup of ‘70 and, therefore, if we wanted to organize the World Cup, we were forced to qualify for Germany. Then, it was essential to prepare a team that could win in the altitude of La Paz,“ recalled Miguel Ignomiriello.

The players selected to train were Rubén Glaria, Marcelo Trobbiani, Rubén Galván, Aldo Poy, Oscar Fornari, Ricardo Bochini and Mario Kempes. The rest of the team that flew directly to La Paz were Daniel Carnevali, Rubén Ayala and Roberto Telch. The secluded squad became known as ‘El Equipo Fantasma’ (Ghost Team).

The team traveled to the resort town of Tilcara, Province of Jujuy, at 2500 meters above sea level. Yet there was a problem. According to some of the players, The Argentina FA “forgot” about the team and the team never received a first payment for funds for supplies, the hotel, and food etc. Due to disorganization in their Association, the media could not acquire information about the squad during their tenure in Tilcara.

Therefore, instead of the scheduled two friendlies, the team was forced to play six or seven to have enough money to buy food. In one of these matches, this is where the eminent Mario Kempes(only 20 at the time), made his debut.

The players eventually returned to La Paz, and their plan work effectively. In front of 30,000 spectators, La Albiceleste won the match 1-0 thanks to Fornari’s goal and were on their way to qualify for the World Cup.

In La Paz, journalist Miguel Tapia, director of Hoy Deportivo, had the brilliant idea, in collaboration with photographer Lucio Flores, to get a picture of the Argentine team in sheets like ghosts in protest. The photo went well. Flores, a creative man, insisted that Argentine players posed with some white caps and appeared in the sports section as “Selección fantasma” (Ghost team). In Argentina, the image was used by the weekly Goals column and the episode caused a stir in journalism and public opinion.

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