West Germany 1974»
Watertight security surrounded the 1974 World Cup in West Germany following the murder of Israeli athletes that shocked the world at the Munich Olympics two years earlier.
The tournament saw a new format - the quarter - and semi-finals were scrapped in favour of two group phases - and the birth of "total football".
Finalists Holland, led by the outstanding Johan Cruyff, and Franz Beckenbauer's West Germany were the leading exponents of the new art which involved players switching positions at will to open up defences.
The highlight of the first round came when East Germany shocked West Germany 1-0 in Hamburg, Jurgen Sparwasser scoring the goal.
The result meant the hosts avoided Holland and Brazil in the next round.
The Dutch were a delight as they romped into the second stage, and victories over East Germany, Argentina and Brazil secured them a place in the final.
There they faced West Germany, who had seen off an impressive Poland in the other group, and barely a minute from the start the Dutch went ahead when Cruyff won a penalty, scored by Johan Neeskens. Holland toyed with the Germans for a while, then suddenly lost their grip. Paul Breitner equalised after 25 minutes and just before half-time Gerd Muller scored the clincher.
{{/usCountry}}There they faced West Germany, who had seen off an impressive Poland in the other group, and barely a minute from the start the Dutch went ahead when Cruyff won a penalty, scored by Johan Neeskens. Holland toyed with the Germans for a while, then suddenly lost their grip. Paul Breitner equalised after 25 minutes and just before half-time Gerd Muller scored the clincher.
{{/usCountry}}1974 World Cup Legends»
Johan Cruyff (Netherlands: born 1947)
Centre-forward who became the inspiration behind the great Ajax and Holland sides of the 1970s.
Name became synonymous with the revolutionary "total football" system employed by Holland as they reached the 1974 World Cup final, though refused to play in Argentina in 1978, when Holland also reached the final and lost.
Tall and slim, he had fantastic dribbling skill, acceleration and imagination.
His ability to twist defenders inside out gave birth to the "Cruyff turn", when he feinted to pass the ball one way before sliding the ball behind his standing foot and setting off in the other direction.
Cruyff was three times voted European Footballer of the Year, helping Ajax to a hat-trick of European Cup triumphs. He scored 33 goals in 48 matches for Holland.
FranzBeckenbaur (Germany: born 1945)
Nicknamed "Der Bomber", this pocket-sized dynamo was one of the most lethal finishers in football history.
A real six-yard box goal-poacher, his low centre of gravity enabled him to turn defenders inside out and pounce on the slightest error. Scored with either foot, and despite his lack of inches, often with his head.
Top scored in the 1970 finals with 10 goals, including hat-tricks against Bulgaria and Peru. He also volleyed in the Germans' clincher in a sensational 3-2 win over holders England in the quarter-finals.
Muller scored four more times to help West Germany to their 1974 World Cup triumph, taking his total World Cup tally to 14 -- a record.
Amazingly, Muller once kept goal for Bayern Munich when Sepp Maier was injured, but it was up front that he caused devastation, helping them to three successive European Cup triumphs.
Scored 69 goals for West Germany in just 62 games, and in 1970 was the first German to be voted European Footballer of the Year.
Johan Neeskens (Netherlands: born 1951)
One of the most complete midfielders of all time, formed a lethal alliance with Johan Cruyff in the successful Holland and Ajax sides of the 1970s.
Dashing and dynamic, Neeskens was extremely dangerous going forward but defensively sound too.
Played in both the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals for Holland, finishing on the losing side both times.
Scored from the penalty spot to give Holland the lead in the opening minutes of the 1974 final against West Germany.
Won three European Cup winners' medals with Ajax.
1974 World Cup Scorers»
Grzegorz Lato (POL) 7
Andrzej Szarmach (POL) 5
Johan Neeskens (NED) 5
Gerd Muller (FRG) 4
Ralf Edstrom (SWE) 4
Johnny Rep (NED) 4
1974 World Cup Trivia»
1974 World Cup Winning Squad»
West Germany
Goalkeepers: Wolfgang Kleff, Sepp Maier, Norbert Nigbur
Defenders: Franz Beckenbauer (capt), Paul Breitner, Horst-Dieter Hottges, Georg Schwarzenbeck, Berti Vogts
Midfielders: Dieter Herzog, Rainer Bonhof, Bernhard Cullmann, Jupp Kapellmann, Helmut Kremers, Gunter Netzer, Wolfgang Overath, Herbert Wimmer
Forwards: Heinz Flohe, Jurgen Grabowski, Josef Heynckes, Uli Hoeness, Bernd Holzenbein, Gerd Muller
Coach: Helmut Schoen