The prisoner who was forced to celebrate a World Cup victory

The prisoner who was forced to celebrate a World Cup victory

Author: BBC World Service July 13, 2026 Duration: 39:06

Miriam Lewin was never much interested in football. Growing up in Buenos Aires, she cared far more about politics than the team her family supported. But in 1978, when Argentina won the World Cup, she found herself among the celebrating fans, hidden in plain sight as a political prisoner.

A year earlier, aged 19, Miriam had been abducted by Argentina's military dictatorship and became one of the country's desaparecidos – the "disappeared." Detained in secret and tortured because of her political activism, she was later forced to work for the regime, translating foreign news reports and helping produce propaganda aimed at improving its image abroad. From inside the prison system, she also learned of the dictatorship's notorious "death flights."

When Argentina hosted – and won – the World Cup, the military government used the tournament to project an image of national pride and unity. Miriam and other prisoners were taken onto the streets to join the jubilant crowds. Decades later, after becoming a journalist, she helped uncover the regime's crimes and bring former members of the military junta to justice.

This interview contains references to suicide and descriptions of torture.

Presenter: Jo Fidgen Producers: Marcia Veiga and Harry Graham

Lives Less Ordinary is a podcast from the BBC World Service that brings you the most incredible true stories from around the world. Each episode a guest shares their most dramatic, moving, personal story. Listen for unbelievable twists, mysteries uncovered, and inspiring journeys - spanning the entire human experience. Step into someone else’s life and expect the unexpected.   Got a story to tell? Send an email to liveslessordinary@bbc.co.uk or message us via WhatsApp: 0044 330 678 2784   You can read our privacy notice here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/5YD3hBqmw26B8WMHt6GkQxG/lives-less-ordinary-privacy-notice


There's a particular kind of curiosity that strikes in a crowded street or a quiet cafe, a sudden awareness of the countless unseen narratives unfolding all around us. Lives Less Ordinary, from the BBC World Service, is built on that very human impulse. Each episode is an invitation to step through a door you might normally walk past, offering an intimate and often surprising portrait of a single person. The stories you'll hear are drawn from a global tapestry, focusing on individuals whose paths defy simple categorization-whether by choice, circumstance, or sheer force of character. This isn't a series about fame or obvious achievement, but rather about the profound journeys that happen outside the spotlight. You might meet a former spy navigating civilian life, a gardener cultivating peace in a conflict zone, or someone who rebuilt their world from a single, shattered moment. The production carries the depth and sensitivity of documentary storytelling, blending personal journals with rich soundscapes that place you right beside the subject. Listening to this podcast feels less like consumption and more like a genuine connection, a reminder of the resilience, eccentricity, and quiet drama woven into the fabric of ordinary days. It’s for anyone who believes that everyone has a story worth hearing, especially those we rarely get to listen to.
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