Motherwell: Beating Argentina & bringing football to South America

It's a grim Buenos Aires day in 1928 and Argentina have just been spanked 3-0 by Motherwell.

Meanwhile, the victors toddle off, bathing in the glory of another eye-catching result on a remarkable summer tour of South America that borders on fiction.

Heralded as "one of the best sides in the world" by the local press, a cash-strapped Motherwell spent six weeks at sea, faced an Argentina president, and took on Brazil in Rio. Why? In the name of educating their hosts on how to play the beautiful game. Well, that and £5,000.

Winning a Copa del Rey & sailing away

Sticking it to tasty opposition had become a regular thing for John 'Sailor' Hunter and his team.

Five years before winning Motherwell's only league title in 1932, Hunter took his side to Spain and gave Real Madrid a 3-1 chasing on their own turf on the way to becoming the only foreign side to - unofficially - win the Copa del Rey. A few days later, they drew with Barcelona for good measure.

A year later, after finishing joint second in the Scottish first division, Motherwell were invited by a London broker to embark on a 13-game tour of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. With £5,000 on offer - around £325,000 in today's money - they headed for Southampton at the start of a three-week expedition and boarded RMSP Almanzora, bound for Buenos Aires.

As odd as it may seem now, expectations in South American were great. An Argentine journal claimed "Motherwell did not come to compete with ours, but to leave us teachings", with left wingers George Stevenson and Robert Ferrier described as among "the best in the world".

Around 35,000 turned up for their first game against Capital at the home of River Plate. Among them was Argentina's minister of war - and future president - Agustin Pedro Justo, who insisted on ceremoniously kicking off the game resplendent in his bowler hat.

Weary from arriving just three days earlier, a bemused Motherwell and their sea legs succumbed to a 1-0 defeat. And matters would get worse before they got better.

Super Willie McFadyen & beating Argentina

Combinado Provincia and Combinado Capital inflicted defeats in the two subsequent contests, sparking speculation that the big hitters from Lanarkshire weren't the footballing masters they expected.

Indeed, they were even said to be not of the standard of the Third Lanark team that had visited earlier that decade. "Expectations had completely changed," one report stated. "The local soccer society speculated the level of Argentine soccer was so high that not even a good British team could cope."

By the time Motherwell arrived in La Boca on 2 June, a morale-boosting 4-3 plundering of Liga Rosarina had restored some pride prior to the task of taking on Argentina. With the Olympics under way in Amsterdam, an Argentine amateur select side represented La Albiceleste, but that did little to lower the expectation - or the fury.

Reports claim "everything conspired against [Argentina], except the referee". On a rutted and mud-clad park, Motherwell goalkeeper Allan McClory was a bystander as Willie McFadyen thrashed two into the Argentine net, before a late own goal rounded things off.

With Motherwell "imposing their superiority" by "loading their bodies", the defeat was not taken well by their hosts, who "kicked the ankles of their opponents, with no other result than to impoverish their game".

And a third win of the tour was only a day away, with an Argentina/Uruguay select side trounced 3-0 the following afternoon.

Floodlights, Brazil & a dock dash

Victories over Combinado del Interior and Liga Rosarina followed, with the latter played out as an aircraft above the Parque Independencia repeatedly showered gifts on the 15,000 crowd.

That took Motherwell's winning run to five games, but a 2-0 defeat by Boca Juniors concluded their time in Argentina. The Scots, who had played five games in eight days, made their weary way to Montevideo by boat for a double header with Uruguay's Penarol.

The teams shared a win each, with the ties at Gran Parque Central and then Estacion Pocitos, the two grounds that would simultaneously host the first World Cup matches two years later.

By the time Hunter and his team docked in Brazil, it had been two months since the Almanzora pulled out of Southampton dock. Quite understandably, injuries and fatigue began to take their toll.

Their penultimate match against Combinado Carioca ended in a 1-1 draw, in what was the first international match in Brazil played under floodlights. But, by then, all eyes were on the meeting with Brazil four days later.

Much like the Argentina XI, the Brazilians were cobbled together. Players from Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo pulled on the famous yellow shirts at Estadio das Laranjeiras, with kick-off fewer than three hours before Motherwell's Arlanza steamer was due to set sail for home. In fact, the turnaround was so tight, the Scots' belongings were taken straight from their lavish Palace Hotel to the dock.

In truth, they may as well have taken the team with them. Knackered after an arduous trip, Motherwell succumbed to a 5-0 defeat, effectively playing most of the game with nine men as Hunter's battle-weary lot faltered.

Upon the final whistle, "the public invaded the playing field and lifted the local players", such was the euphoria of watching Brazil see off... Motherwell.

It was a far cry from the intimidating scenes in La Boca. Instead, as the 20,000 celebrated, Motherwell were whisked away to catch the boat home, with the team loaded on to the steamer still in their kit.