Salvador Bilardo celebrated his birthday with the '86 World Cup champions.

Carlos Salvador Bilardo, the coach who led the Argentine national team to glory in the 1986 World Cup, celebrated his 87th birthday this Sunday in the company of several players who were part of that historic feat in Mexico. Besides the world champions, the images shared show the presence of his wife, Gloria, and Claudio Racino, Bilardo's nephew and current coach in Gibraltar.

Among those present were Oscar Ruggeri, Jorge Burruchaga, Oscar Garré, Ricardo Giusti, Luis Islas, and his historic assistant coach, Carlos Pachamé, who gathered to honor the "Doctor." "Happy birthday, maestro. Thanks for so much. Your band from '86," wrote the former players on an Argentine national team jersey they gifted him as a token of affection and admiration.

Later, players he coached at Estudiantes de La Plata, who won the 1982 Metropolitano title, joined the celebration. Among them, Miguel Ángel Gette, Claudio Gugnali, Hugo Gottardi, Miguel Ángel Lemme, Julián Camino, José Daniel Ponce, and Sergio Gurrieri shared the emotional gathering with their former coach.

Both the members of the world champion team and those of the historic Estudiantes team often visit him in his apartment, where he has permanent assistance from healthcare professionals. There, he leads a peaceful life, enjoys music, and remains passionate about soccer, as he always has been.

A while ago, Oscar Ruggeri recounted on ESPN's F90 program how visits to the former coach are: "How he eats! You wouldn't believe it! There he is, fighting, well... Every time we go to see him, we think we're going to meet the 45-year-old guy who started coaching us. And that guy is no longer there."

The Career of Doctor Bilardo

Carlos Salvador Bilardo began his career as a footballer at San Lorenzo, although he gained his greatest recognition as a midfielder at Estudiantes de La Plata. Under the direction of Osvaldo Zubeldía, he was a key piece in the team that revolutionized Argentine soccer in the late 1960s. With the "Pincha," he won the 1967 Metropolitano tournament and left his mark on the Copa Libertadores, a tournament he won in three consecutive editions (1968, 1969, and 1970). He was also part of the historic team that defeated Manchester United in the 1968 Intercontinental Cup.

Once retired as a player, Bilardo dedicated himself to coaching with the same level of obsession and dedication that characterized him on the field. His coaching career began at Estudiantes, where he achieved his first major title as a coach in the 1982 Metropolitano. However, his greatest achievement came with the Argentine national team, which he led between 1983 and 1990. With his method and unwavering belief in "bilardismo," he led the team to victory in the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, with Diego Maradona as the star figure. Four years later, he reached the final again in Italy 1990, although they fell to Germany in a controversial match.

Later, he continued his career in clubs and international teams, coaching Boca Juniors, Sevilla in Spain, and the national teams of Colombia, Guatemala, and Libya. In 2008, he returned to the Argentine national team as a manager, a role he held until the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when the Albiceleste reached another World Cup final.