1982 FIFA World Cup: from Spain’s struggle for democratic legitimacy to Italy’s rediscovery of football nationalism

ABSTRACT

One of the most memorable moments in the World Cups history is Marco Tardelli’s second goal in Italy’s win over Germany in the 1982 World Cup finals. Better known as Tardelli’s scream, it is thus a perfect object to analyse in order to understand football’s deeper social meanings and its political and cultural undertones, in this case both for the World Cup champions, Italy, and for the host country, Spain. In the Spanish case, organizing the World Cup was a huge political opportunity for the just restored democracy to showcase to the world a modern and pluralistic society leaving behind the authoritarian and outdated dictatorship. As for Italy, their first World Cup winning since World War II was heavily politically used by actors across the political spectrum. Such nationalistic approach constituted a novelty after decades of a low profile national discourse.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Some of the more relevant works on the Spanish transition are: Soto Carmona, Transición y cambio en España; Villar, La transición exterior de España; Tusell, La Transición a la democracia; Radcliff, Making democratic citizens in Spain; Quaggio, La cultura en transición; Díaz Barrado, La España democrática (1975–2000); Juliá, Transición; and Gallego, El mito de la transición.

2. Lanaro, Storia dell’Italia repubblicana; Gervasoni, Storia d’Italia degli anni ottanta; and La guerra delle sinistre.

3. Guasco, Spagna’82, 93–101.

4. Juliá, Transición; and Gallego, El mito de la transición.

5. Gilera, ‘El Mundial-82 y Saporta’, ABC, September 27, 1978, 45.

6. Simón, ‘Terrorismo y mega eventos deportivos’, 196; and Bodin, ‘Inclusión social y práctica deportiva’, 449–51.

7. Otero, ‘La Transición económica’, 366–367; and Pan-Montojo, ‘El proceso económico’.

8. Duarte, ‘La vida política’.

9. Oreja and Mantero, Entre la historia y la memoria.

10. Pacifici, ‘Il PCI, Autonomia Operaia’, 4.

11. Desideri, Storia e storiografia; Crainz, Il paese mancato.

12. Della Porta, Il terrorismo di sinistra.

13. Lepre, Storia della prima Repubblica.

14. ‘Importantes acuerdos de la Federación’, La Vanguardia Española, June 13, 1975, 41.

15. Almela, ‘El informe de la Federación sobre extranjeros y oriundos, remitido a la D.N.D.’, ABC, November 8, 1975, 57–58.

16. Simón, ‘Jugando contra el enemigo’.

17. Simón, España’82, 63–64.

18. Ibid., 86–88.

19. ‘Réplica del P.S.O.E.’, El Mundo Deportivo, October 7, 1979, 4.

20. Saez, ‘San Sebastián clama por el mundial perdido’, El Mundo Deportivo, July 18, 1979, 5; E. P., ‘El COM’82 ya decidió’, La Vanguardia, July 18, 1979, 32; and Gilera, ‘Catorce ciudades serán sedes del Mundfial-82ʹ, ABC, July 18, 1979, 40.

21. ‘El gobierno lo respalda y Saporta calla’, El Mundo Deportivo, October 4, 1979, 11.

22. ‘Podemos quedarnos sin mundial’, ABC, ed. Sevilla, October 5, 1979, 35–36.

23. The final selection of stadiums for the World Cup included Santiago Bernabéu, Vicente Calderón, Balaídos, José Rico Pérez, José Zorrilla, Camp Nou, Carlos Tartiere, La Romareda, Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, Riazor, La Rosaleda, Benito Villamarín, Manuel Martínez Valero, Mestalla, El Molinón, San Mamés and Sarriá.

24. González, ‘Porta: “Todo está en marcha… y con Saporta al frente?”’, El Mundo Deportivo, October 6, 1979, 10.

25. Paradinas, ‘Más de siete mil millones de remodelar los campos del Mundial-82’, El País, March 12, 1980; and ‘Siete mil millones para los estadios’, La Vanguardia, January 18, 1980, 36.

26. ‘Siete mil millones para los estadios’, La Vanguardia, January 18, 1980, 36.

27. García Candau, El fútbol sin ley, 141.

28. ‘Este certamen será el del apogeo y la paz’, El Mundo Deportivo, July 19, 1979, 5.

29. ‘Dura crítica de Neuberger al sistema de ventas de entradas’, El Mundo Deportivo, June 12, 1982, 7.

30. Calatayud, ‘Saporta también recaló aquí’, El Mundo Deportivo, June 1, 1982, 7.

31. Calvo, ‘Saporta lo supervisó todo’, El Mundo Deportivo, June 9, 1982, 5.

32. Calatayud, ‘Havelange: todo elogios para Barcelona’, El Mundo Deportivo, June 9, 1982, 11.

33. Ibid.

34. ‘Sandro Pertini y Helmut Schmidt, en la final’, ABC, July 12, 1982, 5.

35. Ibid.

36. Guasco, Spagna ’82, 27–44.

37. ‘Pertini: L’avevo detto, attaccare. Spadolini: Porto davvero fortuna’, La Stampa, July 6, 1982, 2.

38. ‘L’emergenza sportiva è stata vinta’, La Stampa, July 6, 1982, 1.

39. ‘Pertini: “Rossi merita un premio”, Folla di tifosi acclama Spadolini’; La Stampa, July 9, 1982, 2.

40. Fedi, ‘Pertini sarà allo stadio di Madrid per tifare Italia accanto a Schmidt’, La Stampa, July 11, 1982, 2.

41. Frías, ‘Da gusto ver a Rossi: sus jugadas son tan espectaculares como peligrosas’, ABC, July 13, 1982, 50.

42. Almela, ‘Pertini: Partida de cartas en las nubes junto a los héroes de la “squadra azzurra”’, ABC, July 13, 1982, 47.

43. Cerriti and Fedi, ‘A colazione da Pertini’, La Stampa, July 13, 1982, 1.

44. Ibid.

45. Ibid., 2.

46. Ibid.

47. Ibid.