560% inflation in Argentina 1976
Argentine inflation exceeded 560% in 1976, making the economy effectively 'psychedelic' and ungovernable.
Snapshot · Fin vs History
First Port Stanley, Now This?? (with The Upshot!) | The History of The World Cup (Part 3/4)
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Jun 15, 2026
Where this was said
Keep Your Head Above The Shit
At 4:52 · chapter starts 4:30
Switching to Argentina in 1978, the picture the hosts paint is one of almost incomprehensible chaos and violence. Inflation had exceeded 560% in 1976, a bomb was detonating somewhere in Buenos Aires every three hours, and political assassinations were occurring every five hours [1] — Horatio Gould "560% inflation in Argentina 1976: Argentine inflation exceeded 560% in 1976, making the economy effectively 'psychedelic' and ungovernable." 04:52 . Into this cauldron steps the military junta of Jorge Videla, who inherit the hosting rights from the previous government and view the World Cup as a propaganda opportunity. The junta would go on to disappear an estimated 30,000 people. Johan Cruyff refuses to travel after a kidnapping attempt on his family. The man responsible for building the stadiums is blown up in a car bomb hours before the opening match — possibly suicide, the hosts speculate, possibly just probability at work in a country detonating round the clock. Maradona is 17 and too young to play, but the foundations of his story are already being laid in a Buenos Aires shantytown where, as a child, he fell into a cesspit and almost drowned [2] — Fin Taylor "As a child in a Buenos Aires shantytown, Diego Maradona fell into a cesspit and nearly drowned, saved only by his uncle jumping in after hi…" 07:40 .
Bomb every 3 hours in Buenos Aires 1976
In 1976, a bomb went off in Buenos Aires on average every 3 hours, and there was a political assassination every 5 hours.
30,000 people disappeared under Videla
The Videla military junta that hosted the 1978 World Cup disappeared an estimated 30,000 people.
Maradona Nearly Drowned in a Cesspit — And It Explains Everything
As a child in a Buenos Aires shantytown, Diego Maradona fell into a cesspit and nearly drowned, saved only by his uncle jumping in after him. Fin Taylor suggests this may be Maradona's Spider-Man villain origin story — and there was probably a lot of cocaine in the shit.
Argentina's Alleged Deal: Grain, Cash, and Tortured Prisoners for a 6-0 Win
To reach the 1978 final, Argentina needed to beat Peru by at least 4 goals. They won 6-0. The alleged price: 35,000 tons of grain, $50 million in frozen assets released after the game, and a promise from the Videla regime to 'process' 13 Peruvian political dissidents — a euphemism for torture and execution.
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