In the final round, the Brazilians beat East Germany (1:0) and
Argentina (2:1), before losing to Holland (0:2); who were unbeaten in their six group
games.
Johan Cruyff was the exceptional player of the tournament, as total
football became the buzzword of the day. Holland must have fancied their chances against
West Germany, who had lost to East Germany in the first-round, but the West Germans were
to be the stronger in the 1974 World Cup final; holding on to their (2:1) half-time lead,
until the final whistle.
West Germany, winners of the 1954
World Cup in Switzerland, were shocked by the Dutch in the first minute of the final
when Johan Cruyff broke into the penalty area on his own. The West Germans hadn't even
touched the ball as Neeskens stepped up to the penalty-spot to fire Holland into the lead.
From then on, Vogts snuffed out much of Cruyff's creativity and
Breitner levellled for West Germany; from the spot as well. Gerd Müller made it (2:1)
just before half-time...... and that's the way the home team were happy to keep it.
After the first-round defeat to East Germany, German captain Franz
Beckenbauer thought it enough of a crisis to hold a team conference and explain the
situation to the nation; on colour television.
Scotland needed to console themselves too, as they were the only team
not to lose a game in the competition.... and still not make it further than the
first-round; they didn't score enough goals against Zaire.
A mention should be given to Poland too. After knocking England out of
the qualifying round, the Poles scored twelve goals in the first-round and won two of
their three final round games, before losing by a solitary goal to West Germany. Poland's
Gzregorz Lato was the tournament's top goalscorer, with 7 goals.
For the tenth World cup final, the top two teams in the four
first-round groups moved into another mini league, organised into 2 groups of four.
The two final-round group winners would now be playing for the new
FIFA World Cup statuette; as Brazil made it three wins to hold onto the Jules Rimet Cup,
in Mexico 1970.
The old World Cup trophy was stolen for a second time (the first time
was in 1966) and Brazil was given a replica.
