Luis Galvan dead aged 77: Tributes pour in as Argentine World Cup winner dies just two weeks after legendary team-mate
A FORMER Argentine World Cup winner has died - two weeks after the South American nation lost one of its most iconic goalkeepers Hugo Gatti.
Luis Galvan died around midday local time today aged 77 in the city of Cordoba where he had spent the last few years living and was admitted to hospital earlier this year.
1
The highlight of his footballing career came when he was selected to represent Argentina at the 1978 World Cup, which the country staged and won for the first time.
He played all games in the tournament alongside captain Daniel Passarella including the final in the Monumental Stadium against the Netherlands which they won 3-1.
Galvan retired from international football with 34 caps a year after the nation's disappointing campaign at the 1982 World Cup when they were eliminated in the second group phase.
The former centre back spent most of his career playing for Talleres de Cordoba, the club he started out with professionally and returned to in 1986 following a year in Bolivia where he played for La Paz-based side Bolivar.
It emerged around three weeks ago Luis was ill in hospital with pneumonia in both lungs.
His family had previously revealed in March he had been hospitalised with a kidney problem.
A relative said he had gone down with pneumonia after picking up a virus while he was being treated, insisting at the time he was getting better and saying: 'His desire to live remains intact.'
Club Atletico Talleres, the full name of the club where Galvan made 503 appearances over a period of 17 years, said on X: 'We communicate with great sadness the passing of Luis Adolfo Galvan, emblem of the Club and World Champion with the Argentina National Team in 1978.
'We accompany your family and loved ones at this time, and we raise our prayers for the eternal rest of their soul. We accompany your family and loved ones at this time, and we raise our prayers for the eternal rest of their soul.'
Legendary Argentinian goalkeeper Hugo Gatti died on April 20, just over a month after being admitted to a hospital intensive care unit in his homeland when he contacted pneumonia following a hip operation.
The retired goalkeeper, nicknamed El Loco or The Madman because of his outspoken character and eccentric style of play, was operated after injuring himself in a street fall as he walked his dog.
The 80-year-old's surgery went well - but a virus he also contracted in hospital is said to have led to him suffering post-op complications and the breathing problems that ended up with Gatti in a high-dependency care unit and ultimately led to his death.
Gatti, capped 18 times by his country, was part of the Argentine squad that travelled to England for the 1966 World Cup.
He has been described as the first goalkeeper to wear gloves and one of the first to regularly leave his penalty area. He would often take on opponents and venture upfield. He was also an expert penalty stopper.
After retiring following 13 years at his last club Boca Juniors he became a controversial TV football pundit.
He bizarrely claimed in 2019 Lionel Messi must quit Barcelona and join Real Madrid to prove he was truly the greatest of all time.
Lucas, one of the two children he had with his wife of more than 50 years Nacha Nodar, was also a professional footballer who played as a midfielder for Argentinos Juniors, Dundee, and Badajoz.
He was appointed U23 manager at Bromley Football Club after hanging up his boots.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
Powys spa town prepares to host British bowls elite
EXCITEMENT is building ahead of the forthcoming British Isles Bowls Championships and International Series set for Llandrindod Wells. The prestigious lawn bowls event takes place at Llandrindod Wells Bowling Club's international standard Rock Park. The championships attract the top bowlers from across the country and also provide the town with a financial boost with hundreds of people investing in the local economy. The three green facility has hosted both events in the past and is known as one of the top bowls clubs in Britain. The action start with a practise day on Monday, June 23 before the real competition begins with the final day on Sunday, June 29. A host of mid Wales-based players will make the trip to the Spa town. They include June Morgan, Barbara Sheers, Fiona Preece and Joanna Weale of Presteigne who will be competing in the ladies fours championship. Berriew's Caroline Taylor captains the senior women's side in the international series and is joined by clubmate Emma Gittins, along with Naomi Evans from Llanidloes and also Joanna Weale from Presteigne. Machynlleth's Andrew Fleming is included in the senior men's squad alongside Sam Roff of Llandrindod Wells. As well as Sam Roff, teenager Ffion Stephens has been selected to play in the international women's team, together with Emma Woodcock of Cardiff, who originates from Knighton. Meanwhile youngsters Ffion Stephens and Cara Dunne of Llandrindod Wells Bowling Club have been selected to represent Wales in the Under 18 International Series being played in Ayr, Scotland on July 20-21. It has also been confirmed two Powys bowlers can look forward to winter in Malaysia this year.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
Partying with Bond, 'most-violent' match & David Campese - The Lions Down Under
The British & Irish Lions are set to add to a fabled history of tours to Australia this summer as they return Down Under for the first time since 2013 Australia might be known as the 'lucky country' but don't tell that to David Campese. The Wallabies great might have won the 1991 World Cup - where he was named Player of the Tournament - earned more than 100 caps in a 14-year international career and have gone down as one of the finest athletes (let alone rugby players) that Australia has ever produced. Yet to Lions fans, he'll always be remembered for a mistake, one that arguably handed the tourists victory in a rollercoaster 1989 series. It set the platform for what has become a rivalry pock-marked with soaring highs, plundering lows and a fair bit of bad blood in between. With 20 minutes left in the decisive third Test in Sydney, Australia led 12-9 when a Rob Andrew drop goal slipped wide of the posts, where a waiting Campese collected in his own in-goal area. The winger went back to run the ball out from behind his own try-line but then flicked a pass to his supporting full-back Greg Martin. However, as if in slow motion, the pass went behind Martin, hit the floor and the covering Ieuan Evans gleefully dived on the loose ball for the try and a lead the Lions would turn into a series-winning 19-18 victory. 'It was a one-in-100 moment,' Campese said when reflecting on the aftermath. 'I walked in the dressing room, none of the Australian players or [coach] Bob Dwyer came near me for about 15 minutes and I was pretty down.' To rub salt into Campese's wound, he was pulled over by the police while driving home and handed a speeding ticket. 'Talk about bad luck,' he said. And later, in a bizarre turn of events, as he walked through the front door, just desperate to get to bed, he had phone call from the St Helen's rugby league team offering him a huge sum of money to sign. 'I don't know what game they were watching,' he added. 'It was a strange night, that's for sure. The ironic thing is, I did the exact same pass the next week and it worked. It was bad luck.' Campese's is not the only iconic Lions moment to have come Down Under. Think Brian O'Driscoll's breath-taking try, Kurtley Beale's jaw-dropping slip, and George North's hilarious fireman's lift on Israel Folau. Historically, the Lions' most storied rivalries may be with South Africa and New Zealand, both scenes of legendary 1970s successes. But they have played those two nations 91 times combined and have won just 25. Take out the 71' tour to New Zealand, where the Lions recorded their only series win against the All Blacks, and the '74 trip to South Africa, where they emerged unbeaten and with a famous 3-0 win against the Springboks, and their overall record against those two southern hemisphere giants is – to be blunt – bleak. Against Australia, it's anything but. Of the 23 Test matches, from 1899 to 2013, the Lions have won 17. Indeed, of the nine Test series staged between them, they have won seven. Though the Lions have a long history of touring Australia - the very ever Lions tour included two months there in 1888, sandwiching two stints in New Zealand – their rivalry simmered rather than boiled for more than a century. And then came 1989, and the rivalry burst into life – and not just because of Campese's infamous error. The background to the series was fascinating in itself. The '89 Lions were the first to visit Australia since 1971, the first to play more than two games in the country since 1966 and only the second ever Lions side to use Australia as their sole destination. Only the Reverend Matthew Mullineux's tourists 90 years earlier had toured Australia without venturing to New Zealand. With this in mind, it was hardly surprising that there were plenty of doubters ahead of the adventure. Australian rugby had struggled during the 1970s but the Grand Slam tourists of 1984 – the Wallabies beat all four home unions on an autumn tour - had shown that they could hang with the best. The Lions may have won all eight of their non-Test fixtures but they were convincingly beaten in the first international in Sydney, a 30-12 hammering. But that defeat only spurred the Lions on to create history of their own. The Battle of Ballymore, as it was aptly christened by the Australian press, is widely regarded as one of the most bruising encounters in the history of the game. Victory over the soon-to-be world champions kept the tourists' series hopes alive but it was perhaps the manner of the triumph that paved the way for a series win – with the first scrum setting the tone. Australia's scrum-half Nick Farr-Jones prepared to feed the ball in but opposite number Robert Jones sneakily stood on his rival's foot and Farr-Jones snapped. As the two smallest men on the field came to blows, the Lions forwards piled in and battle commenced. Similarly robust confrontations occurred at regular intervals throughout the match, with Dai Young later accused of stamping on the head of Australian lock Stephen Cutler in one of the most-controversial moments of the entire series. "I would describe it as the most violent game of rugby that has ever been played,' said flanker Mike Teague after a 19-12 win. Robert Jones said: 'It was a spur-of-the-moment decision to stand on his foot at the first scrum and push down. He came back at me, and within seconds there was a pretty lively punch up going on.' The Australian public were engaged – and enraged. And then, a week later, came Campese. Now, with the Lions in a fixed cycle of touring Australia, New Zealand and South Africa on rotation, they have only been back Down Under twice since that series. 2001 was very different to 1989 – and what went on tour certainly did not stay on tour. Graham Henry was named as the first overseas coach in Lions history, having earned an impressive reputation with Wales, but the decision was met with criticism from sections of the press, arguing that an Irishman or a Brit should always be handed the reigns ahead of a foreigner. Rumours of discontent in the camp were rife before newspaper columns and player diaries threatened to ruin the tour. Austin Healy never has shaken off the fall-out from his Observer column, where he labelled Wallabies lock Justin Harrison a 'plank' and an 'ape'. He later used those pages to predict a fine would be coming his way. He was right. It was £3,000. The Lions somehow still produced one of their best-ever performances in the opening Test - inspired by a coming-of-age try from Irish centre O'Driscoll, where he danced through a sea of Aussie defenders and sprinted clear to score - before the Wallabies fought back to triumph in the second and third matches. 2013 was hardly spice-free either. Kurtley Beale's missed penalty in the last minute cost the Wallabies a first Test win and, while they battled back to level the series, the Lions produced an all-time display to win 41-16 in the third – with James Bond actor Daniel Craig partying with them in the changing rooms. 'Australia is a special place,' said Jamie Roberts at the end of that tour. 'Anything can happen.'
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
British Lions coach Farrell issued major warning ahead of Joe Schmidt reunion
Former Australia captain James Horwill believes the Wallabies can spring a surprise this summer when they meet the challenge of the British and Irish Lions Australian rugby reached its lowest ebb at the 2023 Rugby World Cup but just two years later, Joe Schmidt has the team ready to challenge The British & Irish Lions. That is the view of James Horwill, captain the last time the Lions were in town, and confident the Wallabies are hitting their straps at just the right time. It is a far cry from the tail end of the Eddie Jones era, which featured an ignominious ending at the World Cup in France as Australia crashed out in the group stages for the very first time – a 40-6 defeat to Wales seemingly evidence of a side in terminal decline. Cue the arrival of Schmidt, fresh from success with Leinster and then Ireland, followed by a spell in the New Zealand coaching staff that coincided with a return to form for the All Blacks. All was not perfect in 2024, a year which saw Australia ship four tries in 10 minutes to Argentina in a record defeat. But by the end of the year, it was clear that the team had started to find their feet under the Kiwi, with a last-gasp win over England at Allianz Stadium the highlight. And Horwill believes that the performances of Australia's Super Rugby teams should give Wallaby fans even more confidence ahead of the arrival of the Lions. He said: 'There has been some good growth. When you reflect back as a country on the 2023 World Cup, it was very disappointing across the board. But since Joe has come in as coach, and been able to put a bit more stability around the programme, we saw some of the performances improve. 'Looking directly at last year's end-of-year tour, there were some good performances – the performance against England, we very well could have beaten Ireland in Ireland. Overall, I think it was a positive tour and we saw some steps in the right direction. 'This year, Super Rugby has seen much more sustained, consistent performances from our Aussie sides. Maybe towards the back end there has been a little bit of drop off. But early on in the year, we have seen much more consistency from our Super sides, which can only bode well for the Wallabies selectors. 'I think everything is trending in the right direction, with obviously a big challenge coming in the Lions tour.' Working alongside Schmidt are experienced campaigners Laurie Fisher – the former Gloucester coach – and New Zealand scrum guru Mike Cron. Last but not least, Geoff Parling, who went toe-to-toe with Horwill in that Lions series 12 years ago, will find himself on the other side of the battle this time around. And it is the influence of that support staff that has been crucial, according to Horwill. He said: 'Joe has brought in his experience of his time in Ireland and his ability to put that programme together. It is the stability, not just through Joe but also the assistants. There are very good assistants working with him. 'While the head coach is obviously important, now more than ever, the coaching group is vital, both at club and Test level. The team he has brought together from a coaching aspect is very impressive. There has been some real clarity of what they are trying to achieve and how they are trying to play. 'And then it's a bit about bringing a bit of confidence back and giving some guys a bit more time in the saddle to perform. There have no doubt been some challenges but if we've got guys available and firing, we've got quite a formidable team.' What is clear in 2025 is that Australia find themselves with greater options than in recent seasons – particularly in the back row where the stocks are overflowing. In addition to key figures like Rob Valetini, Harry Wilson and Fraser McReight, the likes of Carlo Tizzano from the Western Force and Seru Uru at the Reds would all hope to be in a matchday 23. Add in Josh Kemeny and Pete Samu, both of whom started the Champions Cup final for Northampton Saints and champions Bordeaux-Bègles respectively, and it is clear that Schmidt has some big calls to make. Horwill reflected: 'If you go through and want to pick a XV, if you go position-by-position, you are asking yourself who would you pick and it's a hard decision. We probably haven't had that in previous years. You can almost see the quality of the squad by the people you leave out, rather than the people you select. 'When he names his squad for the Lions, there are going to be guys who are very good players who deserve to be there but there just aren't enough shirts to get the job. That only bodes well for performance, guys pushing and people chomping at the heels if you don't perform. 'You just have a look and try to pick the back row now and who misses out? Who is on the bench? It will be a fascinating battle. 'I think Fraser McReight is a difference-maker for us. He's a player that we saw on the end-of-season tour at Wallaby level, the game he didn't play against Scotland, you saw the difference in performance. 'Who plays No.8? Bobby Valetini and Harry Wilson have been putting in huge performances. Those two guys are going to be vital to get that go-forward ball for us against the Lions. And Carlo Tizzano couldn't be doing much more.' Brought in to replace Jones after his disastrous second spell, Schmidt will move on in 2026, to be succeeded by Reds boss Les Kiss. He and Schmidt have previously worked together with Ireland, while Kiss has plenty of experience of northern hemisphere rugby, having spent time at Ulster and then London Irish prior to them entering administration. While there has been no clear succession plan over the last two Wallaby coach changes, there appears to be a longer-term vision this time around. Horwill said: 'The two guys have worked together previously with Ireland and while they are different, they both have a similar understanding of how they like the game to be played. 'In terms of consistency and continuing the momentum that hopefully we have built by then, going into a home World Cup, I imagine that it will go quite seamlessly. 'Joe is staying on until July next year now and my understanding is that a big part of that is to help Les set up that programme so that they are ready to pick up and run with it and are not starting afresh. 'While Les no doubt has some differences to what Joe does, speaking to the Queensland guys, they all speak incredibly highly of him. He's done some great things with the Reds in the short time he has been there.' Horwill and the Wallabies were part of a Lions series for the ages 12 years ago. With Schmidt at the helm and a team on the up, there is reason to believe this summer's tour could be just as entertaining.
