Football, dictatorship, and human rights: The 1978 World Cup and solidarity activism in the Netherlands for Argentina

Abstract

This research shows that the 1978 World Cup was a key moment in the evolution of Dutch solidarity with Argentina. Based on both oral and written sources, it reconstructs the development of this solidarity. Argentine exiles played a leading role in the process by using the attention generated by the Dutch campaign for a boycott of the tournament to denounce the human rights violations by the Argentinian dictatorship. These efforts led to the emergence of the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo on the international stage, which prompted the formation of the first support group of its kind in the Netherlands. Therefore, this research casts doubt on the dictatorship's alleged success to instrumentalise the tournament and proposes to see it as a Pyrrhic victory for the regime. Finally, the findings contribute to the understanding of the emergence of a human rights discourse during the 1970s, authoritarian regime's endeavours to instrumentalise sporting events, and the importance of football in modern society.