World Cup '74 Portrait Collection: Squad #1 (Argentina)

Extracting some more mileage from the freshly-completed World Cup ’74 portrait project, today we take the drawings from the context of their randomly-chosen linear progress &, referring to the original source material from which they were processed, (re)present the first of the collected squads, in a manner that more closely replicates the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ sticker album rather than its Panini ’München 74’ counterpart, arranging each of the 16 portraits in a 4 x 4 grid format upon a single ‘page’ with a background colour (that, in our case, will reference each nation’s main playing colours, unlike the standard applied by the FKS publication) & beginning alphabetically with Argentina.

Arranged & seen thus, all the little individual deviations from the standard ‘template’ & intended regularity of technique become apparent, evidence of a manual rather than mechanical process, ‘re-mediation’ & de-photography’ in practice.

World Cup '74 Portrait #256 (Agustin Balbuena: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Number 256, & the last of the portraits in the World Cup ’74 drawing project, which has taken just 3 weeks shy of a year to complete, the final randomly-chosen subject, the last one out of the hat, being another of the great majority of those represented to be unheard of/unremembered from my football novice’s experience of the televised coverage of the tournament.

For the record, a little light research has unearthed the facts that Agustin Balbuena, who was represented in the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ sticker album (which of course provides the original source object/image from which the drawing is processed), was selected as a member of the official Argentina squad for the tournament & went to play in four matches for his country over its course, the opening 2 – 3 defeat to Poland, as a 52^nd-minute substitute in the victory over Haiti that secured qualification for the Second Phase & then in the first two matches there, the defeats to Holland &, confirming the Argentinians’ elimination, Brazil.

It’s a curious & interesting coincidence that the last subject in the Project should be a representative of Argentina, when that very country would be hosting the following football World Cup, in 1978, one in which I took a great deal more informed interest & that I remember in much more vivid detail, the players, matches, incidents, etc, & on the subject of which I happen to have acquired & possess a pair of sticker albums, published by FKS & Panini again. Surely not another Project beckoning…? Perhaps - but perhaps not straight away…

World Cup '74 Portrait #244 (Emmanuel Sanon: Haiti)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

World Cup '74 Portrait #225 (Jairzinho: Brazil)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The Project continues with this re-mediation of an image of the iconic Jairzinho, who, already a bona fide World Cup star (having scored in every match for the eventual winners, & thus reigning champions, Brazil at the preceding 1970 tournament), was featured in both the FKS & Panini ’74 sticker albums, & selected for inclusion in the Brazilians’ squad for the Finals, where he went on to be an ever-present, appearing throughout all 7 of Brazil’s matches, although this time scoring only twice, against Zaire & the winner over Argentina.

Such a profile ensured that Jairzinho’s became one of the few names that registered during & stuck in the memory following my exposure to the televised coverage of the event, experienced as a football novice, &, indeed, became a fixture in our school playground kickabouts.

World Cup '74 Portrait #221 (Roberto Perfumo: Argentina)

Today the opposite of tomato is 'the texture of gas'

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Continuing the Project with a representation of Roberto Perfumo, who was featured in the Panini ’München 74’ sticker album, which image provides our original source material for this drawing (& also a previous version), & selected for inclusion in Argentina squad for the Finals, not merely as a member but as its captain, subsequently playing in the Argentinians’ first four fixtures before being omitted following the opening Second Round drubbing (0 – 4) by Holland.

World Cup '74 Portrait #217 (Hector Yazalde: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The second of this new year’s drawings features as its portrait subject Hector Yazalde, who was represented in the Panini ’München 74’ sticker album – which image thus serves as our original source material - & chosen as a member of the official Argentina squad for the Finals, at which he subsequently played in 3 matches, scoring twice in the 4 -1 victory over Haiti.

A re-mediation of the same original image of Hector Yazalde was the subject of a drawing in an earlier version of the World Cup ’74 project, & can be found here.

World Cup '74 Portrait #208 (Roberto Telch: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The latest drawing in the Project is a graphite re-mediation of an image of Roberto Telch, who was represented in both the FKS & Panini World Cup ’74 commemorative sticker albums (our original source material being provided by the former in this instance), & was chosen as a member of the Argentina squad for the Finals, where, after appearing as a 67^th-minute substitute for his country in their opening match, the 2 – 3 defeat to Poland, he played in all but one of the Argentinians’ five subsequent fixtures, missing only another loss, against Brazil.

Telch was previously featured as the subject of a drawing in an earlier incarnation of the 1974 World Cup project, which can be found here, &, sadly, passed away very recently, in October of this year.

World Cup '74 Portrait #191 (Daniel Carnevali: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Featuring for the second time a re-mediated image of Daniel Carnevali, the original source of which was used to process another drawing of the subject as part of an earlier, abandoned incarnation of the 1974 World Cup portrait project, to be found here.

World Cup '74 Portrait #189 (Rene Houseman: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The latest re-mediated subject is René Houseman, the drawing being processed from reference to the third of four ‘cheat’ constructed stickers, featuring found images of players whose names are remembered from my experience of the televised coverage of the event but who were not selected for inclusion in either the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ or Panini ’München 74’ commemorative albums that otherwise provide the original source material upon which the project is founded &, indeed, was inspired by.

As previously mentioned, in connection with Houseman’s Argentina teammate Carlos Babington, by their absence from such (repositories of) memorabilia, their lack of a tangible physical presence, their leaving no trace, such players are perhaps the most ‘ghostly’ of all in such a context.

Back to our particular subject,  René Houseman appeared, either from the kick-off (occasionally being withdrawn) or otherwise introduced as a substitute, in each of the Argentinians’ 6 matches at the tournament, scoring 3 goals & obviously generally creating a memorable impression, possibly because of the ‘Englishness’ of his surname (like Babington’s, the only other of the Argentinian team/squad’s names to stick in the memory) but not least visually, as photographs suggest he habitually wore his socks rolled down to his ankles, as a few players did back in the day (‘before health & safety went mad’, etc), thus marking him out, probably for spectators, viewers & opponents alike.

World Cup '74 Portrait #175 (Ramon Heredia: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Today’s subject is an image of Ramon Heredia, ‘re-mediated’ from the original source sticker as featured in the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ album, & who was selected as a member of the official Argentina squad for the Finals, where he played in each of his country’s six matches, scoring a goal in the first, a 2 – 3 defeat to Poland.

By another of those curious, random coincidences, shortly prior to the World Cup, Heredia had played in the European Cup Final of 1974, & its unique replay, for his club, Atlético Madrid, as had our immediately previous subject, Conny Torstensson, for their opponents.

A drawing processed from the same source image-object featured in an earlier incarnation of the 1974 World Cup project, here.

World Cup '74 Portrait #170 (Carlos Babington: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The latest subject in the Project is a depiction of Carlos Babington of Argentina, the second of what should eventually be four ‘cheats’ over the course of the project – essentially names particularly remembered from experience of the televised coverage of the 1974 World Cup but who appeared in neither the FKS or Panini sticker albums previewing/commemorating the event, in which context they become, in fact, the most ‘ghostly’ of all, having no physical presence in the form of image or text, leaving (or being afforded, through omission) no trace of their participation via such enduring artefacts of memorabilia.

This being the case, an original image must be sourced from elsewhere in order to construct a ‘sticker’ from which to work, with the internet providing as usual in such times of need – something of a slightly unsatisfactory fudge, given the physical nature of all the other original source material, the hauntological objects of the stickers, but in such an instance it seems more important to leave a drawn trace of a remembered name than include an ‘unknown’ in its stead.

The name of Carlos Babington might well have proved memorable particularly for its invertedly-exotic Englishness in an Argentinian context, but the records show he enjoyed something of a profile during the World Cup, playing in 5 of Argentina’s 6 matches (missing only the first of their second phase fixtures, the 0 – 4 hammering by Holland), scoring in the first, the 2 – 3 defeat to Poland, & being booked in this & the subsequent two games.

World Cup '74 Portrait #166 (Arsene Auguste: Haiti)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Today’s subject is Arsene Auguste, who was featured in both the FKS ‘Wonderful World of Soccer Stars World Cup 1974’ & Panini ’München 74’, sticker albums, honoured amongst a most select mere 6-player ‘squad’ representing minnows (Panini were brutal about this fact) Haiti in the latter.

On a point of visual interest, FKS & Panini featured the same photographic image upon their respective stickers, but reversed: the original source for this drawing was the FKS sticker, which might picture Arsene Auguste as he was or otherwise the mirror image of.

Included in the official Haitian squad for the Finals, Auguste went on to play twice in the tournament, in Haiti’s matches against Italy (1 – 3) & Poland (0 – 7) before missing their third & last defeat, to Argentina (1 – 4). He died in 1993, aged 42.

World Cup '74 Portrait #159 (Francisco Sa: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Slow(ing) progress again this week for the Project, but this most recent drawing finally off the production line features the economically-surnamed Francisco Sa of Argentina, who has previously been represented in an earlier incarnation of the Project, along with his playing record, here.

We're Not in 1974 Anymore...

Darn it. So, there is to be no repeat(esque) in 2014 of the 1974 World Cup Final to tie in with the current drawing project (the current Germany, already qualified, being, to all intents & purposes, in terms of colours & history, the old West Germany of that time, & only Toni Kroos of the team/squad seems to have been born in the East, even: those, by birth, from further east again, in Poland, are better represented, in the form of Podolski & the record-setting Klose), but how close such an eventuality came, with only the familiar ‘lottery of penalties’ thwarting what was beginning to seem like the will of TOoT in arranging such a pleasing coincidence through the sheer force & designs of art. Perhaps it was instant karma, though, that Holland should lose the semi-final shoot-out after Tim Krul’s ugly, boorish antics helped them prevail at the same deciding stage of the game against Costa Rica in the previous round.

For all that the match might most kindly be described as attritional (not necessarily unexpectedly, given that Holland managed to score a total of 2 goals squeezed into 3 minutes of the 5 ^1/2 hours ‘football’ they played over the course of the 3 knockout rounds, & one of those a penalty indeed, & Argentina came into the semi after a pair of ground-out 1 – 0 wins in the eighth- & quarter-finals), it was a glorious aesthetic spectacle to admire in that both teams turned out, resplendently, in their traditional & classic first-choice kits, the orange-white-orange Dutch combo, & the sky blue & white stripes with black shorts of Argentina: nice, & something of a rarity in this tournament.

[image sourced from The Guardian]

World Cup '74 Portrait #102 (Joachim Streich: East Germany)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Today’s randomly-chosen man-of-the-moment is a depiction of Joachim Streich, of the much-missed East Germany, who was represented in sticker form in both the FKS & Panini ‘World Cup 1974’ collectors’ albums that form the visual basis of this drawing project.

A memorable name from the televised coverage of the Finals, Streich played in four of the East Germans’ six matches during the tournament - missing the historic first-ever meeting with (& glorious 1 – 0 victory over) West Germany & the Second Round defeat to Holland - & scored twice, in their first & last fixtures, against Australia & Argentina.

An anecdotal reference to Streich’s club career can be found here, from earlier this year, amongst the football club badge collection.

World Cup '74 Portrait #100 (Luis Pereira: Brazil)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Reaching the milestone of a (first) century of drawings in the Project, today’s featured subject is Luis Pereira, who was represented in both the FKS & Panini sticker albums commemorating the upcoming-when-published 1974 World Cup, & selected for the official Brazil squad for the tournament, where he subsequently played in all six of their First & Second Round group matches, as a member of an uncompromising defence that did not concede a goal, to Argentina, until almost midway through the fifth, although he was sent off near the end of the last of these, the 0 – 2 defeat to Holland, in an infamously tough battle, that brought to an end Brazil’s defence of the trophy.

Given the randomly-chosen nature of the subjects (picked unseen from a tin as they are), it seems rather appropriately serendipitous that a member of the 1974 Brazil team should feature on a day that the present selection, certainly not averse to the odd dirty tactic themselves, should have overcome Colombia 2 - 1 to qualify for the 2014 Finals' semis: often (& notwithstanding David Luiz's ultimately decisive stupendous free-kick goal), such ultra-competitive football is so far from the so-called 'beautiful game', compelling as it might be.

World Cup '74 Portrait #90 (Norberto Alonso: Argentina)

graphite & putty eraser/30x21cm

Today’s subject depicts Norberto Alonso, who was selected for inclusion in both the FKS & Panini ‘World Cup ‘74’ sticker albums but, alas, not in the official Argentina squad for the Finals themselves. He did go on to earn a place in the Argentinian squad for the 1978 World Cup, where he appeared as a substitute on three occasions, once only very briefly before the unusual circumstance of being replaced himself (for those especially inclined towards World Cup trivia).

As, alphabetically, the first player of the first qualifying nation, representations of the player have previously featured in earlier incarnations & revisions of the 1974 World Cup drawing project, here, here & here.

World Cup '74 Portrait #86 (Jan Jongbloed: Holland)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Today’s subject to be drawn from the random-generator features Jan Jongbloed, the source of whose image is, it must be admitted, the first of one of the few ‘cheats’ that will be employed over the course of the project, as his is one of those names vividly remembered from the time, from the televised experience of the 1974 World Cup, that appeared in neither the FKS or Panini sticker albums published to anticipate/celebrate/commemorate the event, thus necessitating research to find a constructed ‘original’ from which to make the enlarged photocopy that serves as the drawing’s immediate visual reference, the photographic image incorporated within being of a suitable vintage to accord with those upon the genuine sources from the albums themselves.

The inclusion of Jongbloed in the Holland squad for the finals seems a genuine wild card, for he had appeared for the national team but twice before, in a friendly against Argentina immediately prior to the World Cup &, previous to that, as a substitute in a match against Denmark way back in 1962 (indeed, it is a remarkable feature that the three goalkeepers in the ’74 Dutch squad had ‘amassed’ a mere 11 caps between them up to the time of the competition, what appears frightening international inexperience for an event of such magnitude), although, as first-choice ‘keeper, he went on to play in all 7 of the Dutch’s teams matches on their way to the Final (hence the memorability attached to the name).

Returning to the present & the 2014 World Cup, this drawing was processed to the nail-bitingly thrilling accompaniment of our favourite 'Celeste' - Uruguay's - 2 - 1 victory over England: great stuff, & a match for our other favourite Italy's win against the same opponents.

World Cup '74 Portrait #83 (Leao: Brazil)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

Today featuring (Émerson) Leão, a sticker representing whom was included in both the FKS & Panini albums published to coincide with & celebrate the 1974 World Cup (the one in the latter serves as the original source image upon which the drawing is based, an enlarged photocopy of providing the immediate visual reference) &, having been selected as a member of the official Brazil squad for the tournament, then, as first-choice goalkeeper, appeared in all seven of his country’s matches on their way to a fourth-place finish, not conceding a goal until the fifth, against Argentina, although the three that followed, to Holland & subsequently Poland, condemned the Brazilians to that unsuccessful defence of the World Cup they’d won previously in 1970.

As with the previous two subjects, Leão’s is one of the names that can be recalled from the televisual experience of the finals, primarily, it’s to be assumed, precisely because their teams were featured more often in their respective advances to the latter stages &, through repetition, gradually became more memorable.

World Cup '74 Portrait #69 (Rudi Krol: Holland)

graphite & putty eraser, with watercolour pencil/30x21cm

The latest subject to be randomly chosen for the drawing project proved to be Rudi or Ruud Krol, who was selected to appear in both the FKS & Panini ‘World Cup ‘74’ sticker albums, for inclusion in the official Holland squad for the Finals, & subsequently played throughout the tournament, in all of the Dutch team’s seven matches on their way to the final itself, scoring twice from his defensive position (although the ‘Total Football’ of Holland allowed for much fluidity of movement), once for his country against Argentina in a 4 – 0 win, & once against them, an own goal for Bulgaria (of no consequence, as the Dutch won 4 – 1).

Given the profile enjoyed by Holland during the 1974 World Cup, which event they illuminated, a number of the players’ names registered at the time & stuck in the memory, including that of Ruud Krol, who is thus one of the relatively few familiar names from the time.