1974: Europe rises again

1974: Europe rises again
As the 1970 FIFA World Cup finals had been, arguably, the best in the history of the tournament it was obvious that the thing to do was to change the format for the tenth World Cup in West Germany.

Mystifying changes
Obvious to FIFA perhaps, but to hardly anybody else. The idea was to scrap the knockout phase and replace it with another group stage - with the winners going on to the final. The reason, apparently, was that more matches meant more revenue but sadly, the prospect of less excitement did not seem to matter.

Commercial troubles
Football was now in the grip of the commercial age and, indeed, many teams were embroiled in arguments over bonuses and sponsorship deals. There was also growing discontent over FIFA's continuing policy to award only three places to teams from outside Europe and South America - eagerly taken up this time by Zaire, Australia and Haiti. Also making their debut were East Germany while the Netherlands and Poland qualified for the first time since, respectively, 1934 and 1938.

Wind of change
There was a changing of the guard at the top of world football. England had failed to qualify and Brazil, now without Pelé, were a shadow of the team which had claimed their third World Cup just four years previously. France and Spain again failed to qualify and the Soviet Union were also absent after refusing to play the second leg of a play-off in Chile following General Augusto Pinochet’s right-wing military coup.

West Germany favourites
The West Germans were still raring to go. Second in 1966, third in 1970 and now hosts, the European champions were the strong favourites. However, a slow start - a 1-0 win over Chile and a far from convincing 3-0 win against Australia - was followed by a shock 1-0 defeat by East Germany - although the fact that this gave them an easier second phase group might not have been coincidental.

Poland in form
Elsewhere, the major surprise was the superb form of Poland. They eliminated England in qualifying and inspired by Grzegorz Lato and Kazimierz Deyna they cruised through their group, in which Italy were eliminated on goal difference. Scotland suffered an even more frustrating fate as they went home despite being unbeaten and having the better of a goalless draw with Brazil, who only advanced by scoring more goals against Zaire.

Dutch marvels
The revelation of the tournament, however, was the ‘total football’ of Rinus Michels's Netherlands. Inspired by Johann Cruyff - now succeeding Pelé as the world's best player - and Johannes Neeskens, the Dutch were magnificent in impressive wins against Uruguay (2-0) and Bulgaria (4-0). Their only weakness seemed to be their profligacy in front of goal as a 0-0 draw against Sweden demonstrated.

Mesmerising football
In the second phase, playing mesmerising football, they crushed Argentina 4-0 (with Cruyff scoring twice) and eased past East Germany 2-0. Meanwhile, in the other group West Germany got into their stride beating Yugoslavia 2-0 and then fought back after trailing Sweden 1-0 to win 4-2.

Second group stage
The final group matches were, in all but name, semi-finals. The Netherlands faced Brazil, who had been less impressive in beating Argentina (2-1) and East Germany (1-0), while West Germany faced Poland, who continued to impress in beating Sweden (1-0 with a goal by Lato and a penalty save by Jan Tomaszewski) and Yugoslavia (2-1 with goals by Lato and Deyna).

Brazil go out
The Dutch faced a much-changed Brazil from the 1970 vintage and it was the Netherlands who were now playing fantasy football. So much so that Brazil resorted to a more bruising style, dragging the Dutch down to their level. Eventually, though, the Dutch asserted their superiority and goals from Cruyff and Neeskens put them through to the final.

Maier saves West Germany
There they would meet the West Germans, who in typical style had weathered a first-half storm by Poland. Sepp Maier was inspirational in goal and eventually, in the second half, the Germans took control. But even then Tomaszewski saved another penalty before, with 15 minutes left, the goal-poacher supreme, Gerd Müller, snatched a winning goal.

Sensational opening
The final, at Munich's Olympiastadion on 7 July, had a sensational opening. The Dutch kicked off and immediately bamboozled the Germans with a series of passes ending with Cruyff jinking through most of the opposition team before being upended in the box. Neeskens fired home the first penalty in a World Cup final and after just a minute and with a German still to touch the ball the Dutch were 1-0 up.

Müller strikes again
They then dominated the next 20 minutes but failed to capitalise only to let the Germans back in, against the run of play, when Bernd Holzenbein was brought down by Willem Jansen and Paul Breitner equalised from the game's second penalty. With Bertie Vogts sticking like glue to Cryuff the game became more open. Franz Beckenbauer started to assert his influence and the Germans began to look dangerous before, two minutes from half-time, Müller - from his only chance of the game - pounced on a cross to make it 2-1.

Worthy champions
In a goalless second half the Dutch threw everything at them but West Germany held firm to seal their second World Cup win. As in 1954 they had lost once on the way, as in 1954 that defeat had given them an easier passage and as in 1954 they had beaten in the final a team considered superior. However, there was no doubting their spirit and determination nor their ability in countering Dutch flair. They were worthy champions.