International Career
During his club career he won 43 caps for Argentina and scored 20 times. He represented his country in three World Cups in 1974, 1978 and 1982, winning the competition in 1978. He was the leading goalscorer in the 1978 tournament, scoring six goals. Two of these goals were in the final against the Netherlands, which Argentina won 3-1. His second goal, in the 105th minute, was the game winner in extra time. More notoriously in the 1978 cup, Kempes stopped a goal with his hand in a second round match against Poland. This resulted in a penalty kick that was promptly saved by Ubaldo Fillol.
In 1978 he was named South American Football Player of the Year ("El Mundo," Caracas, Venezuela). He was named by Pelé as one of the top 125 greatest living footballers in March 2004.
Read more about this topic: Mario Kempes
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—Ruth Behar (b. 1956)