Modern day football it is an every day sight to see foreign born footballers playing in British Leagues from all areas of the world, and this no doubt has enriched the leagues with some world class talents, but players from other countries in the football league was not always the case, there were a few players but this all started to change in 1978.
In that year players such as Osvaldo Ardilles who had just played in and won the World Cup with Argentina, Ricardo Villa, Alejandro Sabella, Kazimierz Deyna and Arnold Muhren. Some more successful than others, however, for this article I would like to concentrate on another Argentinian World Cup winner who came to England in 1978, Alberto Tarantini.
Tarantini had played left back in the World Cup for Argentina, and had scored in the victory against Peru on their run to the final, he played in the final when the hosts won the World Cup. Tarantini was in the middle of a contractual dispute with his club side Boca Juniors, who put pressure on other Argentinian clubs not to offer him a contract, Tarantini was 23 when Birmingham City bought the player for £295,000 in 1978.
The player was known prior to joining Birmingham City as being a fiery player and indeed only lasted 23 games with the club, during this time he knocked out Brian Greenhoff not seen by the referee, and in his final match waded into the crowd to have a punch up with a heckler who was giving him a tough time. Tarantini was sold back to Córdoba in Argentina before the season ended, which that season, Birmingham City were relegated to division two.
In recent times, details of Tarantini’s contract with Birmingham has been made aware to the public, if it is true, he was given a free car, money for his family plus for him wages of £363 a week, which in those days was a lucrative contract, oh how times have changed.
Alberto Tarantini was to also play for Argentina in the 1982 World Cup, and ended up with 61 caps for his country in a very successful career. Just shows that all players you buy have a risk element attached to them even World Cup Winners, for every Thierry Henry there is a Kleberson, teams be warned…