IT was the tournament that launched a million footballing passions on this side of the world, as Mario Kempes, Daniel Passarella and Leopoldo Luque stole our hearts en route to their first World Cup triumph in 1978.

Drumcondra’s Don Patricio became Barcelona’s manager just before the city was taken over by anarchists, the club’s president was shot and liquidation loomed. Richard Fitzpatrick unravels a club legend’s story