How Pakistan hockey inspired Argentina to win its first FIFA World Cup

On June 25, 1978, in front of more than 75,000 boisterous fans at the iconic Estadio Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, hosts Argentina won their first FIFA World Cup title, edging the Netherlands in a pulsating finale.

Millions around the globe watched the game on their TV screens, most of them cheering for the crafty and colourful Argentine team.

Among those fans was Islahuddin Siddiqui, who celebrated Argentina's historic triumph sitting in his drawing room at his Karachi residence, almost 15,000 kilometres away from Buenos Aires.

Siddiqui was and still is a die-hard Argentina fan but that wasn't the only reason why he cheered for the South Americans as skipper Daniel Passarella lifted the World Cup.

Just over two months before, Siddiqui himself was in Passarella's position and the only difference was that he was lifting the Hockey World Cup at Campa de Polo in Buenos Aires after a hard-fought 3-2 triumph also against the Netherlands in the final.

And in a way, Pakistan's title-winning triumph on the grassy ground of Campa de Polo paved the path for Argentina's victory.

A fight to the top

Siddiqui’s Pakistan team was head and shoulders above the rest of the competition in the 4th Hockey World Cup played from March 19 to April 2 as it became the first side in the tournament's history to win a second world title and also the first to do it without losing or even drawing a single game.

And in the process, it helped hosts Argentina to develop a winning formula that enabled them to lift the FIFA World Cup a few weeks later.

"Watching the FIFA World Cup final that day brought back all sorts of memories," Siddiqui told TRT World in a recent interview.

"It took me back to one of my most favourite cities because it hosted one of my career's most memorable tournaments," says Siddiqui, who is regarded as a legend of Pakistan hockey.

Over the years, Pakistan have slumped in international hockey but back in the sixties and seventies, they were like a force of nature and just ran roughshod over their rivals, winning major international titles almost at will. They won four World Cup titles and three Olympic gold medals besides several Asian Games gold medals and Champions Trophy crowns.

Siddiqui was captain of a star-studded Pakistan team that landed in Argentina with the singular goal of winning back the world title.

It was a time when European-style hockey, which relied on organised defence, set pieces and penalty corners, was threatening to overwhelm the more crafty Asian style. With old Asian powerhouse India facing a decline in their fortunes, Pakistan was the main flag-bearer of the Asian style.

Pakistan's team manager in Buenos Aires was the late Abdul Waheed Khan.

The lanky Khan was a 1960 Rome Olympic Games gold medallist. As a coach, he was way ahead of his time. He made it clear on his arrival in Argentina that Pakistan would not allow European powerhouses like Germany and the Netherlands to destroy the beauty of hockey.

“I won't let any European team destroy the beauty of the game of hockey to win the world title through penalty corners,” he told reporters ahead of Pakistan's opening game of the World Cup.

Despite having some of the finest players in their ranks, Pakistan was going through a bit of a title drought before landing in Argentina. They had failed to win a global title since 1971: (1972 Olympic Games – 2nd, 1973 World Cup – 4th, 1975 World Cup – 2nd, and 1976 Olympic Games – 3rd).

Khan and his team knew that it was time Pakistan regained its golden form.

Khan made sure he wouldn't leave any stone unturned. He even used technology by repeatedly showing his players videos of famed Dutch penalty corner specialist Paul Litjens and finding ways and means to counter him.

"We were there to win the World Cup," says Siddiqui. "We knew our major rivals for the world title were the Germans and the Dutch. We wanted to play to our strengths, which was field attacks and at the same time we had to neutralise their short corner arsenal."

Pakistan began their campaign in the World Cup with a series of big wins against Ireland (9-0) and Italy (7-0). They beat the Dutch (3-1), Malaysia (3-0) and Spain (2-1).

"Our last pool game was against the home side," recalls Siddiqui. "There was a packed crowd for the game and the fans were naturally cheering for Argentina. We scored our first goal, then the second, third and fourth. By the time we scored our fifth goal, the crowd had started to cheer for us. And then the local fans cheered for us all the way till we lifted the World Cup."

Pakistan won the game 7-0. Their winning spree was highlighted in the local media.

An unlikely connection

Those press reports and the fact that three of national Argentina's footballers also played hockey brought Pakistan's exploits to the attention of César Luis Menotti, Argentina's charismatic football manager.

At that time Menotti was making his World Cup plans and quite like Abdul Waheed Khan, he was possibly devising ploys to counter European contenders like Germany and the Netherlands.

"When we checked in our hotel in Buenos Aires there was a lot of renovation taking place there. We were told that they were preparing for the FIFA World Cup as some of the visiting teams including Argentina will be staying there," remembers Siddiqui.

"Midway through the tournament, we were told that Argentina's football manager wanted to meet us. So on one of our rest days, Menotti, who we were told had come on a private jet, visited us and had a detailed chat with Waheed Bhai. He was given some physical demonstration also. He was apparently very interested in how we were able to score so many goals without conceding many."

So what was Pakistan's mantra for such dizzying success?

Ask Shahnaz Sheikh, Siddiqui's deputy at the 1978 World Cup and also the tournament's top-scorer, and he will tell you that Pakistan developed a new strategy with complete emphasis on offence.

"We believed that offence is the best defence," Sheikh, who is currently the Pakistan hockey team's head coach, told TRT World.

"The idea was to attack in waves. Seven of us, five forwards and two halves, would attack together. We would strike from the right and if the defenders stopped us there, we would quickly switch to the left. This would leave the opponents in disarray and also minimised the chances of counter attacks against us. Hence the reason why we scored so many goals and so few were scored against us during that tournament," says Sheikh.

Pakistan scored a total of 35 goals in the 1978 World Cup, the highest by any team in a World Cup (they broke this record in the next World Cup in 1982). Only four goals were conceded against them in 575 minutes of play. Their goal difference of +31 is still the best in Hockey World Cup history.

"Everything clicked for us in that World Cup," adds Siddiqui. "Under Waheed Bhai's guidance we developed a strategy of using the wingers especially when our centre forward was marked by the opposing defenders. We also went for midfield possession to frustrate our opponents. Our style of play was really appreciated by the local fans and media. Pakistan, I must say, was by far the most popular team in that tournament because of our novel way of attacking."

Pakistan had mastered the double attack strategy in Buenos Aires. Their seven-man attack was capable of pouncing on the opponent's goal from both flanks and that really impressed Menotti. He watched a few of Pakistan's matches, training sessions and took his notes.

A few weeks later, his team lifted the mood of the nation (Argentina was in a state of political turmoil in 1978 following a military coup) by recording a stunning victory with the flamboyant Mario Kempes earning the Golden Boot.

Menotti and his team became national heroes in Argentina. Menotti didn't forget how Pakistan helped his team's cause as a few days after Argentina won the World Cup, Khan received a telegram from Menotti thanking him with the message that Pakistan's ploys helped his players win the FIFA World Cup.

"It was a great gesture from him (Menotti)," says Siddiqui, who recalled how his team went on to win the 1978 World Cup.

And he fondly remembers the hard-fought semi-final against West Germany. The game went goalless until the final two minutes of the second half of extra-time.

"The Germans were pushing for the winner but Manzoor Junior passed the ball to me with the clock ticking," says Siddiqui. "I knew it was now or never. I dribbled through the defence from the right and darted inside the D, feigned a body dodge to deceive the German goalie before scooping the ball into an empty goal. It is the most memorable goal of my career."

Siddiqui was in his element in the final as well. The Dutch were in command, leading 2-1 midway into the second session but he scored an equaliser to make it 2-2.

"It was a very tense game," says Siddiqui. "At 2-2, we earned a penalty corner. We had won eight penalty corners before that one and couldn't convert any of them. The wise thing was to probably give one more chance to Munnawaruz Zaman, our highly experienced penalty corner expert. But I don't know what came to my mind, I instead asked newcomer Ehsanullah to take it. I told him to just hit it straight so that we can have a chance to score off a rebound. His strike deflected off a defender and into the net. We won the World Cup!"

Pakistan went on to defend their title in the 1982 World Cup in Mumbai (then known as Bombay) and added a fourth crown with a stunning triumph in 1994 in Sydney.

But since then they have failed to win a world title. Their last Olympic crown came way back in 1984 in Los Angeles. In recent years, they have even failed to qualify for the World Cup and the Olympic Games.

"It's a heartbreaking slump," laments Siddiqui. "But I believe that with comprehensive planning Pakistan can once again rise in world hockey."