Get Our Extension

1978 FIFA World Cup

From Wikipedia, in a visual modern way
1978 FIFA World Cup
Copa Mundial de Fútbol
Argentina '78
 (Spanish)
Logo Mundial 78.svg
Tournament details
Host countryArgentina
Dates1–25 June
Teams16 (from 5 confederations)
Venue(s)6 (in 5 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Argentina (1st title)
Runners-up Netherlands
Third place Brazil
Fourth place Italy
Tournament statistics
Matches played38
Goals scored102 (2.68 per match)
Attendance1,545,791 (40,679 per match)
Top scorer(s)Argentina Mario Kempes (6 goals)
Best player(s)Argentina Mario Kempes[1]
Best young playerItaly Antonio Cabrini[2]
Fair play award Argentina[2]
1974
1982

The 1978 FIFA World Cup was the 11th edition of the FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial international football world championship tournament among the men's senior national teams. It was held in Argentina between 1 and 25 June.

The Cup was won by the host nation, Argentina, who defeated the Netherlands 3–1 in the final, after extra time. The final was held at River Plate's home stadium, Estadio Monumental, in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth team (after Uruguay, Italy, England, and West Germany) to be both hosts and world champions and the third South American team to win a World Cup. Argentina, the Netherlands, and Brazil were the gold, silver, and bronze medalists, respectively. Iran and Tunisia made their first appearances in the tournament. This was also the last World Cup tournament to use the original inclusion of 16 teams. Since the first World Cup in 1930, only 15 teams (plus the host, who automatically qualified) had been allowed to qualify (the reigning title holders also received automatic qualification from 1934 through 2002); but for the next World Cup, in Spain, FIFA expanded that tournament to 24 teams.

This tournament was marred by flagrant controversy, domestic politics, and alleged interference and match-fixing by the Argentine authoritarian military junta government, who were using this tournament as an opportunity for nationalistic propaganda, and for the relatively new military junta to seek legitimacy on the world stage.[3] One player, Ralf Edström, was arrested for speaking to a person in Buenos Aires; however, the Argentine military released him upon recognising its error (that he was a player, not an ordinary person).[4]

The official match ball was the Adidas Tango.

Discover more about 1978 FIFA World Cup related topics

FIFA World Cup

FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup, often simply called the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested among the senior men's national teams of the 211 members by the sport's global governing body - Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). The tournament has been held every four years since the inaugural tournament in 1930, except in 1942 and 1946 when it was not held because of the Second World War. The current reigning champions are Argentina, who won their third title at the 2022 tournament.

Association football

Association football

Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel a ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is to score more goals than the opposite team by moving the ball beyond the goal line into a rectangular-framed goal defended by the opposing side. Traditionally, the game has been played over two 45-minute halves, for a total match time of 90 minutes. With an estimated 250 million players active in over 200 countries and territories, it is considered the world's most popular sport.

Argentina national football team

Argentina national football team

The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in men's international football and is administered by the Argentine Football Association, the governing body for football in Argentina.

Netherlands national football team

Netherlands national football team

The Netherlands national football team has represented the Netherlands in international men's football matches since 1905. The men's national team is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), the governing body for football in the Netherlands, which is a part of UEFA, under the jurisdiction of FIFA. They were sometimes regarded as the greatest national team of the respective generations. Most of the Netherlands home matches are played at the Johan Cruyff Arena, De Kuip, Philips Stadion and De Grolsch Veste.

Club Atlético River Plate

Club Atlético River Plate

Club Atlético River Plate, commonly known as River Plate, is an Argentine professional sports club based in the Núñez neighborhood of Buenos Aires. Founded in 1901, the club is named after the English name for the city's estuary, Río de la Plata. Although many sports are practised at the club, River Plate is best known for its professional football team, which has won Argentina's Primera División championship a record of 37 times, its latest title in 2021. Domestic achievements also include 14 national cups, with the 2021 Trofeo de Campeones as the most recent, making River Plate the country's most successful team in domestic competitions with a total of 51 top-division titles.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South America's southeastern coast. "Buenos Aires" can be translated as "fair winds" or "good airs", but the former was the meaning intended by the founders in the 16th century, by the use of the original name "Real de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Ayre", named after the Madonna of Bonaria in Sardinia, Italy. Buenos Aires is classified as an alpha global city, according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) 2020 ranking.

Italy national football team

Italy national football team

The Italy national football team has represented Italy in international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy, which is a co-founder and member of UEFA. Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence. Italy are the reigning European champions, having won UEFA Euro 2020.

England national football team

England national football team

The England national football team has represented England in international football since the first international match in 1872. It is controlled by The Football Association (FA), the governing body for football in England, which is affiliated with UEFA and comes under the global jurisdiction of world football's governing body FIFA. England competes in the three major international tournament contested by European nations: the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA European Championship, and the UEFA Nations League.

Germany national football team

Germany national football team

The Germany national football team represents Germany in men's international football and played its first match in 1908. The team is governed by the German Football Association, founded in 1900. Between 1949 and 1990, separate German national teams were recognised by FIFA due to Allied occupation and division: the DFB's team representing the Federal Republic of Germany, the Saarland team representing the Saar Protectorate (1950–1956) and the East Germany team representing the German Democratic Republic (1952–1990). The latter two were absorbed along with their records; the present team represents the reunified Federal Republic. The official name and code "Germany FR (FRG)" was shortened to "Germany (GER)" following reunification in 1990.

1930 FIFA World Cup

1930 FIFA World Cup

The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 to 30 July 1930. FIFA, football's international governing body, selected Uruguay as the host nation, as the country would be celebrating the centenary of its first constitution and the Uruguay national football team had successfully retained their football title at the 1928 Summer Olympics. All matches were played in the Uruguayan capital, Montevideo, the majority at the Estadio Centenario, which was built for the tournament.

1982 FIFA World Cup

1982 FIFA World Cup

The 1982 FIFA World Cup was the 12th FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams, and was played in Spain between 13 June and 11 July 1982. The tournament was won by Italy, who defeated West Germany 3–1 in the final, held in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in the capital, Madrid. It was Italy's third World Cup title, but their first since 1938. The defending champions, Argentina, were eliminated in the second round. Algeria, Cameroon, Honduras, Kuwait and New Zealand made their first appearances in the finals.

Adidas Tango

Adidas Tango

The Adidas Tango is a family and brand of association football balls originally introduced as the "Tango Durlast" in 1978, specifically for the 1978 FIFA World Cup in Argentina. Variations of the design had been produced for various competitions including the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA European Championship, and the football competition of the Summer Olympics. The Tango balls have had different names applied to them to distinguish them in their construction, the competitions they have been used for, and even if they are official match balls or replica balls.

Host selection

Juan Perón saluting the crowd, the inspiration of the Argentina 78 logo
Juan Perón saluting the crowd, the inspiration of the Argentina 78 logo

Argentina was chosen as the host nation by FIFA on 6 July 1966 in London, England. Mexico withdrew from the bidding process after having been awarded the 1970 competition two years earlier.

The logo is based on President Juan Perón's signature gesture: a salute to the crowd with both arms extended above his head. This was one of the most famous, populist images of Perón. The design was created in 1974, two years prior to the military coup in 1976. The military leadership were aware that the World Cup's logo symbolized Perón's gesture, and they tried to change the competition's logo. At this point, the design was already broadly commercialized and the merchandise had already been made: a forced modification "would trigger a sea of lawsuits against the country", so the military had no option but to give up their attempts and leave it.[5]

The monetary cost of preparing to host the World Cup was put at $700 million, including building three new stadia and redeveloping three others; building five press centres; a new communications system costing $100 million; and improvements to transport systems.[6]

Discover more about Host selection related topics

FIFA World Cup hosts

FIFA World Cup hosts

Eighteen countries have been FIFA World Cup hosts in the competition's twenty-one tournaments since the inaugural World Cup in 1930. The organization at first awarded hosting to countries at meetings of FIFA's congress. The choice of location was controversial in the earliest tournaments, given the three-week boat journey between South America and Europe, the two centers of strength in football at the time.

Juan Perón

Juan Perón

Juan Domingo Perón was an Argentine Army general and politician who served as President of Argentina from 1946 to his overthrow in 1955, and again from October 1973 to his death in July 1974. He had previously served in several government positions, including Minister of Labour and Vice President of a military dictatorship.

1970 FIFA World Cup

1970 FIFA World Cup

The 1970 FIFA World Cup was the ninth edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for men's senior national teams. Held from 31 May to 21 June in Mexico, it was the first World Cup tournament held outside Europe and South America, and it was also the first held in North America. Teams representing 75 nations from all six populated continents entered the competition, and its qualification rounds began in May 1968. Fourteen teams qualified from this process to join host nation Mexico and defending champions England in the 16-team final tournament. El Salvador, Israel and Morocco made their debut appearances at the final stage.

President of Argentina

President of Argentina

The president of Argentina, officially known as the president of the Argentine Nation, is both head of state and head of government of Argentina. Under the national constitution, the president is also the chief executive of the federal government and commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

1976 Argentine coup d'état

1976 Argentine coup d'état

The 1976 Argentine coup d'état that overthrew Isabel Perón as President of Argentina on 24 March 1976, while having some right-wing elements, such as its emphasis on order and security, was not a traditional right-wing coup and did not adhere to a specific ideology. A military junta was installed to replace her; this was headed by Lieutenant General Jorge Rafael Videla, Admiral Emilio Eduardo Massera and Brigadier-General Orlando Ramón Agosti. The political process initiated on 24 March 1976 took the official name of "National Reorganization Process", and the junta, although not with its original members, remained in power until the return to the democratic process on 10 December 1983.

Qualification

.mw-parser-output .legend{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .legend-color{display:inline-block;min-width:1.25em;height:1.25em;line-height:1.25;margin:1px 0;text-align:center;border:1px solid black;background-color:transparent;color:black}.mw-parser-output .legend-text{}  Countries that qualified for World Cup   Countries that failed to qualify   Countries that did not enter   Non-FIFA members
  Countries that qualified for World Cup
  Countries that failed to qualify
  Countries that did not enter
  Non-FIFA members

England, Belgium, Czechoslovakia (the European champions) and the Soviet Union failed to qualify for the second World Cup in succession, losing out to Italy, the Netherlands, Scotland and Hungary respectively. 1974 quarter-finalists East Germany and Yugoslavia were eliminated by Austria and Spain and thus also failed to qualify for the finals, along with Bulgaria which failed to qualify for the first time since 1958 after losing to France. Bolivia's win meant Uruguay also failed to qualify for the first time since 1958. Newcomers to the finals were Iran and Tunisia; Austria qualified for the first time since 1958, while France, Spain and Hungary were back for the first time since 1966. Peru and Mexico returned after missing the previous tournament. For the first time, more than 100 nations entered the competition.[7]

List of teams qualifying

The following 16 teams qualified for the final tournament:

Discover more about Qualification related topics

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification

A total of 107 teams entered the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds, which began with the preliminary qualification draw on 20 November 1975 at Guatemala City. Argentina, as the hosts, and West Germany, as the defending champions, qualified automatically, leaving 14 spots open for competition.

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC and OFC)

Listed below are the dates and results for the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the Asian and Oceanian zone (AFC and OFC). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Iran national football team

Iran national football team

The Iran national football team, recognised by FIFA as IR Iran, represents Iran in international football and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI).

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)

Listed below are the dates and results for the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the African zone (CAF). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)

Listed below are the dates and results for the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the South American Zone (CONMEBOL). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Argentina national football team

Argentina national football team

The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in men's international football and is administered by the Argentine Football Association, the governing body for football in Argentina.

Brazil national football team

Brazil national football team

The Brazil national football team, nicknamed Seleção Canarinha, represents Brazil in men's international football and is administered by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), the governing body for football in Brazil. They have been a member of FIFA since 1923 and a member of CONMEBOL since 1916.

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (UEFA)

Listed below are the dates and results for the qualification to the 1978 FIFA World Cup rounds for the European zone (UEFA) in association football. For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Austria national football team

Austria national football team

The Austria national football team represents Austria in men's international football competition and it is controlled by the Austrian Football Association.

France national football team

France national football team

The France national football team represents France in men's international football matches. It is governed by the French Football Federation, the governing body for football in France. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colors and imagery reference two national symbols: the French red-white-blue tricolour and Gallic rooster. The team is colloquially known as Les Bleus. They play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis and train at INF Clairefontaine in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines.

Hungary national football team

Hungary national football team

The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in men's international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation. The team has made 9 appearances in the FIFA World Cup and 4 appearances in the European Championship, and plays its home matches at the Puskás Aréna, which opened in November 2019.

Italy national football team

Italy national football team

The Italy national football team has represented Italy in international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy, which is a co-founder and member of UEFA. Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence. Italy are the reigning European champions, having won UEFA Euro 2020.

Controversy

A controversy surrounding the 1978 World Cup was that Argentina had undergone a military coup of its democratic government only two years before the cup, which installed a dictatorship known as the National Reorganization Process. Less than a year before the World Cup, in September 1977, Interior Minister General Albano Harguindeguy, stated that 5,618 people had recently disappeared. The infamous Higher School of Mechanics of the Navy (known by its acronym ESMA) held concentration camp prisoners of the Dirty War and those held captive reportedly could hear the roars of the crowd during matches held at River Plate's Monumental Stadium, located only a mile away;[8] prompting echoes of Hitler's and Mussolini's alleged political manipulation of sports during the 1936 Berlin Olympics and 1934 FIFA World Cup.[9] Because of the political turmoil, some countries, most notably the Netherlands, considered publicly whether they should participate in the event. Despite this, all teams eventually took part without restrictions. However, most notably, Dutch star Johan Cruyff, who won the Golden Ball in the previous 1974 FIFA World Cup, refused to take part in the 1978 World Cup, even though he earlier participated in the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification. Allegations that Cruyff refused to participate because of political convictions were denied by him 30 years later—he and his family had been the victims of a kidnapping attempt a few months before the tournament. Several criminals entered his house in Barcelona at night and tied him and his family up at gunpoint.[10] More controversy surrounded the host, Argentina, as all of their games in the first round kicked off at night, giving the Argentines the advantage of knowing where they stood in the group. This issue would arise again in Spain 1982, which prompted FIFA to change the rules so that the final two group games in subsequent World Cups (as well as in every other international tournament, starting with the UEFA Euro 1984) would be played simultaneously.

Argentina's controversial and favorable decisions in their matches have caused many to view their eventual win as illegitimate; many cite the political climate and worldwide pressure on the Argentine government as the reason for these decisions. Desperate to prove their stability and prominence to the world after their coup two years earlier, the government used whatever means necessary to ensure that the team would progress far in the tournament.

Suspicions of match fixing arose even before the tournament began; Lajos Baróti, the head coach of Argentina's first opponents, Hungary, said that "everything, even the air, is in favor of Argentina".[11] He also talked about the financial imperative to have Argentina win the World Cup: "The success of Argentina is financially so important to the tournament".[11]

From Will Hersey's article "Remembering Argentina 1978: The Dirtiest World Cup of All Time":

The other teams in Argentina and Hungary's group were the much-fancied France and Italy, establishing the tournament's toughest qualifying section. After the victory against Hungary, one junta official remarked to Leopoldo Luque that "this could turn out to be the group of death as far as you are concerned." It was delivered with a smile. "Uppermost in my mind was that earlier that day, the brother of a close friend of mine had disappeared", recalled Luque. "His body was later found by villagers on the banks of the River Plate with concrete attached to his legs. At that time, opponents of the regime were sometimes thrown out of aeroplanes into the sea."[11]

In their second group stage game against France, Argentina were the beneficiaries of multiple favourable calls. After France were denied what looked to be a clear penalty in the first half, an anonymous French player said he had heard the referee tell Daniel Passarella (the player who committed the foul), "Don't do that again please, or I might have to actually give it next time."[12]

Argentina v Peru

Further accusations have surrounded the game Argentina and Peru played in the second round of the tournament. Following Brazil's 3–1 win over Poland, Argentina needed to win by a margin of four goals to proceed to the final and did so by defeating Peru by 6–0. There were allegations that the authoritarian Argentine military government interfered to ensure Argentina would defeat Peru through intimidation, though these were denied by Peruvian captain Héctor Chumpitaz and several Peruvian players.[13] Some accusations originated in the Brazilian media and pointed to the fact that the Peruvian goalkeeper, Ramón Quiroga, had been born in Argentina.[14][15] There was also an alleged deal, reported by the British media as an anonymous rumour, that involved the delivery of a large grain shipment to Peru by Argentina and the unfreezing of a Peruvian bank account that was held by the Argentine Central Bank.[16] Another alleged deal, published by a Colombian drug lord in a controversial book, involved the Peruvian team being bribed without any political implications.[13] A third alleged deal, stated by a Peruvian leftist politician, encompassed sending 13 Peruvian dissidents exiled in Argentina back to Peru.[17]

Three months before the World Cup, Argentina had beaten Peru 3–1 in Lima, their head-to-head record was 15–3 in favour of the host nation, and Peru had never beaten Argentina away from home. However, Peru had conceded only six goals in their previous five games in the World Cup. During the first half, Peru hit the post twice after two counters when the game was 0–0. Argentina managed to get 2–0 ahead before the end of the first 45 minutes. During the second half, Argentina was 4–0 ahead when Peru had another clear chance. Argentina kept attacking and scored twice more, making it 6–0 and surpassing the required margin.

There was also some domestic controversy as well, as Argentine manager César Luis Menotti did not call up the then-17-year-old Argentinos Juniors local star Diego Maradona, for Menotti felt Maradona was too young to handle the pressures of such an important tournament on home soil and that the expectations of the team's performance would probably revolve around the Buenos Aires-born youngster.[18] In addition, Maradona's usual position of number 10 (play-making attacking midfielder) was taken by Mario Kempes, who ended up as the Best Player and Top Goal Scorer.

Discover more about Controversy related topics

1976 Argentine coup d'état

1976 Argentine coup d'état

The 1976 Argentine coup d'état that overthrew Isabel Perón as President of Argentina on 24 March 1976, while having some right-wing elements, such as its emphasis on order and security, was not a traditional right-wing coup and did not adhere to a specific ideology. A military junta was installed to replace her; this was headed by Lieutenant General Jorge Rafael Videla, Admiral Emilio Eduardo Massera and Brigadier-General Orlando Ramón Agosti. The political process initiated on 24 March 1976 took the official name of "National Reorganization Process", and the junta, although not with its original members, remained in power until the return to the democratic process on 10 December 1983.

Dirty War

Dirty War

The Dirty War is the name used by the military junta or civic-military dictatorship of Argentina for the period of state terrorism in Argentina from 1974 to 1983 as a part of Operation Condor, during which military and security forces and death squads in the form of the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance hunted down any political dissidents and anyone believed to be associated with socialism, left-wing Peronism, or the Montoneros movement.

1934 FIFA World Cup

1934 FIFA World Cup

The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football championship for senior men's national teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934.

Johan Cruyff

Johan Cruyff

Hendrik Johannes Cruijff was a Dutch professional football player and manager. As a player, he won the Ballon d'Or three times, in 1971, 1973 and 1974. Cruyff was a proponent of the football philosophy known as Total Football explored by Rinus Michels. Generally regarded as one of the most influential figures in modern football, he is considered as both one of the best players and greatest managers in the history of the sport.

1974 FIFA World Cup

1974 FIFA World Cup

The 1974 FIFA World Cup was the tenth FIFA World Cup, a quadrennial football tournament for men's senior national teams, and was played in West Germany between 13 June and 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded. The previous trophy, the Jules Rimet Trophy, had been won for the third time by Brazil in 1970 and awarded permanently to the Brazilians. This was the first out of three World Cups to feature two rounds of group stages.

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 4

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification – UEFA Group 4

Group 4 consisted of four of the 32 teams entered into the European zone: Belgium, Iceland, Netherlands, and Northern Ireland. These four teams competed on a home-and-away basis for one of the 8.5 spots in the final tournament allocated to the European zone. The spot would be assigned to the group's winner.

Lajos Baróti

Lajos Baróti

Lajos Baróti was a Hungarian football player and manager. With eleven major titles he is one of the outstanding coaches of his era.

Hungary national football team

Hungary national football team

The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in men's international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation. The team has made 9 appearances in the FIFA World Cup and 4 appearances in the European Championship, and plays its home matches at the Puskás Aréna, which opened in November 2019.

France national football team

France national football team

The France national football team represents France in men's international football matches. It is governed by the French Football Federation, the governing body for football in France. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colors and imagery reference two national symbols: the French red-white-blue tricolour and Gallic rooster. The team is colloquially known as Les Bleus. They play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis and train at INF Clairefontaine in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines.

Daniel Passarella

Daniel Passarella

Daniel Alberto Passarella is an Argentine former footballer and manager, who is considered one of the greatest defenders of all time. As a player for Argentina, he was part of two FIFA World Cup–winning teams; he captained his nation to victory at the 1978 World Cup which Argentina hosted, and was also part of the winning squad in 1986.

Argentina v Peru (1978 FIFA World Cup)

Argentina v Peru (1978 FIFA World Cup)

Argentina v Peru was a football match between Argentina and Peru that took place on June 21, 1978 during the 1978 FIFA World Cup within Group B. In order to advance to the knockout stage and beat Brazil by goal difference, Argentina needed to win by four goals and agreed to play against Peru. The match ended 6-0 in an Argentine victory with two goals from Mario Kempes, two goals from Leopoldo Luque, one goal by Alberto Tarantini and one from René Houseman. The 1978 World Cup would go on to end in Argentina earning their first championship title after beating the Netherlands 3-1. The match remains to be one of the most controversial in World Cup history as it's been speculated that there has been some collusion in favor of Argentina. This was due to the World Cup taking place during the military dictatorship of the National Reorganization Process under Jorge Rafael Videla which in turn lead to speculation that the World Cup was an attempt to appease the population in the face of human rights violations.

Héctor Chumpitaz

Héctor Chumpitaz

Héctor Eduardo Chumpitaz Gonzáles is a former footballer from Peru. Voted one of the greatest defenders of all times, among the 30 best defenders in football history and included within the 100 best players in the history of the Soccer World Cup by FIFA in 2018. He is also a member of the Historic Ideal Team of Copa América by CONMEBOL. In addition to being the seventh South American defender with the highest score in soccer history, after scoring 65 official goals.

Format

The format of the competition stayed the same as in 1974: 16 teams qualified, divided into four groups of four. Each group played a round-robin with two points for a win and one for a draw, and goal difference used to separate teams level on points. The top two teams in each group would advance to the second round, where they would be split into two groups of four. The winners of each group would play each other in the final, and the second-place finishers in the third place match.

Summary

  Champion   Runner-up   Third place   Fourth place   Second round   First round
  Champion
  Runner-up
  Third place
  Fourth place
  Second round
  First round

First round

The first round produced several surprises. Poland won Group 2 ahead of world champions West Germany, after holding the Germans to a goalless draw and then beating Tunisia and Mexico. The Germans then beat Mexico 6–0, and finally played out a second goalless draw against Tunisia. Although they failed to qualify for the second round, Tunisia made history by beating Mexico 3–1 while trailing 0–1 at half time. It was the first time that any African team had won a match at the World Cup finals.

Peru pushed the Netherlands into second place in Group 4, where Scotland missed out on goal difference for the second successive tournament. Teófilo Cubillas was outstanding for Peru, scoring twice against Scotland in Peru's 3–1 win and hitting a hat-trick in their 4–1 victory over newcomers Iran. Rob Rensenbrink of the Netherlands also scored three times against Iran, scoring all the goals as the Dutch won 3–0. Scotland drew with Iran 1–1 and the only highlight of their campaign was a 3–2 victory over the Netherlands in their final group game which was not enough to prevent elimination. Iran, the reigning Asian champions, went out of the tournament winless. Rensenbrink's goal against Scotland was the 1000th goal of World Cup history. Scotland's Willie Johnston was expelled from the World Cup after he was found to have taken a banned stimulant during the opening game against Peru.

The biggest surprise of all came in Group 3, where Austria finished ahead of Brazil. The Austrians beat Spain and Sweden, while Brazil were held to draws by the same two teams. The draw between Brazil and Sweden was especially controversial; Welsh referee Clive Thomas awarded Brazil a very late corner kick, and Zico directly headed the kick into the net; but Thomas blew for time before Zico made contact with the ball, and the goal was disallowed. The Brazilian players were not happy with the decision, but the final result remained a 1–1 draw. Heading into their final group game, Brazil needed to beat Austria to be certain of advancing to the second round and managed a 1–0 win thanks to a goal from Roberto Dinamite. Brazil and Austria thus finished with the same number of points and the same goal difference, but Austria won the group by virtue of having scored more goals.

Group 1 had the strongest line-up of teams in the first round, featuring Italy, the host Argentina, France and Hungary. The two places in the second round were claimed before the final round of games, with Italy and Argentina both beating France and Hungary. The match between Italy and Argentina decided who topped the group, and a goal from Roberto Bettega midway through the second half was enough to give that honour to Italy. It also forced Argentina to move out of Buenos Aires and play in Rosario.

The 1978 World Cup marked the fourth and last occasion during which a national team did not wear its own kit to play a match (the first being in the 1934 World Cup third place match between Germany and Austria; the second in the 1950 World Cup first round match between Switzerland and Mexico and the third in the 1958 World Cup first round match between West Germany and Argentina). The incident happened during the game between France and Hungary. Both teams arrived at the venue with only their white change kits, resulting in a delayed kickoff while officials went in search of the jerseys of a local team from Mar del Plata, Club Atlético Kimberley; the jerseys had vertical green and white stripes and were worn by France.

Second round

In the all-European Group A, the Netherlands got off to a flying start by thrashing Austria 5–1, Johnny Rep scoring two of their goals. In a rematch of the 1974 final, the Dutch then drew 2–2 with West Germany, who had previously shared a goalless game with Italy. The Italians beat Austria 1–0, and so the Netherlands faced Italy in their last group game knowing that the winners would reach the final. Ernie Brandts scored an 18th-minute own goal to put Italy ahead at half-time, but he made up for his mistake by scoring at the right end in the fifth minute of the second half. Arie Haan got the winner for the Dutch with 15 minutes remaining, and the Netherlands had reached their second successive World Cup Final. In the game known as the miracle of Cordoba, West Germany were surprisingly beaten by Austria 2–3 which marked their end as World Champions.

Group B was essentially a battle between Argentina and Brazil, and it was resolved in controversial circumstances. In the first round of group games, Brazil beat Peru 3–0 while Argentina saw Poland off by a score of 2–0. Brazil and Argentina then played out a tense and violent goalless draw, so both teams went into the last round of matches with three points. Argentina delayed the kick-off of its last match to await the result of the Brazil-Poland encounter. Brazil won by a 3–1 score, meaning Argentina had to beat Peru by four clear goals to reach the final but they managed to do it. Trailing 2–0 at half-time, Peru simply collapsed in the second half, and Argentina eventually won 6–0. As previously noted, rumors suggested that Peru might have been bribed or threatened into allowing Argentina to win the match by such a large margin. However, nothing could be proved, and Argentina met the Netherlands in the final. Brazil took third place from an enterprising Italian side with Nelinho scoring a memorable goal, and were dubbed "moral champions" by coach Cláudio Coutinho, because they did not win the tournament, but did not lose a single match.

Final

Team captain Daniel Passarella holding the trophy won by Argentina
Team captain Daniel Passarella holding the trophy won by Argentina

The final, Argentina vs Netherlands, was also controversial, as the Dutch accused the Argentines of using stalling tactics to delay the match. The host team came out late and questioned the legality of a plaster cast on René van de Kerkhof's wrist, which the Dutch said allowed tension to build in front of a hostile Buenos Aires crowd.

Mario Kempes opened the scoring for the hosts before Dick Nanninga equalised a few minutes from the end. Rob Rensenbrink had a glorious stoppage-time opportunity to win it for the Netherlands but his effort came back off the goal post. Argentina won the final 3–1 after extra time, after Daniel Bertoni scored and Kempes, who finished as the tournament's top scorer with six goals, added his second of the day. The Netherlands, because of the controversial game events, refused to attend the post-match ceremonies after the match ended.[19] They had lost their second consecutive World Cup final, both times to the host nation, after losing to West Germany in 1974. Argentina won 5 games but became the first team to win the World Cup after failing to win two matches, where they had lost to Italy in the first round and drawn with Brazil in the second round. Four years later, Italy would win the next World Cup despite failing to win three games.

Discover more about Summary related topics

Poland national football team

Poland national football team

The Poland national football team has represented Poland in men's international tournaments football competitions since their first match in 1921. The team is controlled by the Polish Football Association (PZPN), the governing body for football in Poland.

Germany national football team

Germany national football team

The Germany national football team represents Germany in men's international football and played its first match in 1908. The team is governed by the German Football Association, founded in 1900. Between 1949 and 1990, separate German national teams were recognised by FIFA due to Allied occupation and division: the DFB's team representing the Federal Republic of Germany, the Saarland team representing the Saar Protectorate (1950–1956) and the East Germany team representing the German Democratic Republic (1952–1990). The latter two were absorbed along with their records; the present team represents the reunified Federal Republic. The official name and code "Germany FR (FRG)" was shortened to "Germany (GER)" following reunification in 1990.

Mexico national football team

Mexico national football team

The Mexico national football team represents Mexico in international football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation. It competes as a member of CONCACAF.

Peru national football team

Peru national football team

The Peru national football team represents Peru in men's international football. The national team has been organised, since 1927, by the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF). The FPF constitutes one of the ten members of FIFA's South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). Peru has won the Copa América twice, and has qualified for the FIFA World Cup five times ; the team also participated in the 1936 Olympic football competition and has reached the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In the past, they were often considered 4th best in South America, after Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. The team plays most of its home matches at the Estadio Nacional in Lima, the country's capital.

Netherlands national football team

Netherlands national football team

The Netherlands national football team has represented the Netherlands in international men's football matches since 1905. The men's national team is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), the governing body for football in the Netherlands, which is a part of UEFA, under the jurisdiction of FIFA. They were sometimes regarded as the greatest national team of the respective generations. Most of the Netherlands home matches are played at the Johan Cruyff Arena, De Kuip, Philips Stadion and De Grolsch Veste.

Scotland national football team

Scotland national football team

The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in men's international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. It competes in the three major professional tournaments: the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Nations League and the UEFA European Championship. Scotland, as a country of the United Kingdom, is not a member of the International Olympic Committee, and therefore the national team does not compete in the Olympic Games. The majority of Scotland's home matches are played at the national stadium, Hampden Park.

Iran national football team

Iran national football team

The Iran national football team, recognised by FIFA as IR Iran, represents Iran in international football and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI).

Rob Rensenbrink

Rob Rensenbrink

Rob Rensenbrink was a Dutch footballer and member of the Netherlands national team that reached two World Cup finals in 1974 and 1978. A creative and prolific left winger or forward, he became a legend in Belgium whilst playing in the great Anderlecht side of the 1970s. He is the UEFA Cup Winners Cup's all-time top scorer, with 25 goals. A talented dribbler as well as a cool finisher and adequate passer, he only ever missed two penalties in his entire career. He was also the first winner of the Onze d'Or.

1976 AFC Asian Cup

1976 AFC Asian Cup

The 1976 AFC Asian Cup was the 6th edition of the men's AFC Asian Cup, a quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The finals were hosted by Iran between 3 and 13 June 1976. The field of six teams was split into two groups of three. Iran won their third title in a row, beating Kuwait in the final.

Austria national football team

Austria national football team

The Austria national football team represents Austria in men's international football competition and it is controlled by the Austrian Football Association.

Brazil national football team

Brazil national football team

The Brazil national football team, nicknamed Seleção Canarinha, represents Brazil in men's international football and is administered by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), the governing body for football in Brazil. They have been a member of FIFA since 1923 and a member of CONMEBOL since 1916.

Clive Thomas (football)

Clive Thomas (football)

Clive Thomas is a Welsh former football referee, who operated in the English Football League and for FIFA during his career. He came from Treorchy in the Rhondda Valley.

Mascot

The official mascot of this World Cup was Gauchito, a boy wearing an Argentina kit. His hat (with the words ARGENTINA '78), neckerchief, and whip are typical of gauchos.

Discover more about Mascot related topics

Neckerchief

Neckerchief

A neckerchief, sometimes called a necker, kerchief or scarf, is a type of neckwear associated with those working or living outdoors, including farm labourers, cowboys and sailors. It is most commonly still seen today in the Scouts, Girl Guides and other similar youth movements. A neckerchief consists of a triangular piece of cloth or a rectangular piece folded into a triangle. The long edge is rolled towards the point, leaving a portion unrolled. The neckerchief is then fastened around the neck with the ends either tied or clasped with a slide or woggle.

Whip

Whip

A whip is a tool or weapon designed to strike humans or other animals to exert control through pain compliance or fear of pain. They can also be used without inflicting pain, for audiovisual cues, such as in equestrianism. They are generally either a firm stick designed for direct contact, or a flexible line requiring a specialized swing. The former is easier and more precise, the latter offers longer reach and greater force. A hunting whip combines a firm stick with a flexible line.

Gaucho

Gaucho

A gaucho or gaúcho is a skilled horseman, reputed to be brave and unruly. The figure of the gaucho is a folk symbol of Argentina, Uruguay, Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, and the south of Chilean Patagonia. Gauchos became greatly admired and renowned in legend, folklore, and literature and became an important part of their regional cultural tradition. Beginning late in the 19th century, after the heyday of the gauchos, they were celebrated by South American writers.

Venues

In 1972, eight venues were preselected; six that were used for the finals, plus La Plata and Tucuman. La Plata, the city of the diagonals, promised a "one-of-a-kind stadium" but by 1974 it was scrapped by internal bids. The Estadio Ciudad de La Plata was finally completed in 2003. In the case of Tucuman, an ambitious stadium of 70,000 spectators had been promised in Horco Molle, similar to the current Racing Club de Avellaneda stadium, along with the roof. The Tucuman venue was temporarily suspended in 1974 and was decommissioned the following year, given the intensity of the actions of the guerrillas and the Armed Forces in the province.[20] Three new stadiums were built (Estadio Chateau Carreras in Córdoba; Estadio José María Minella in Mar del Plata; and Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza in Mendoza) and the other three were remodelled.[6]

Of the six venues used, the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires was the largest and most used venue, hosting nine total matches, including the final. The Carreras Stadium in Cordoba hosted eight matches, the stadiums in Mendoza, Rosario and Mar del Plata each hosted six matches and José Amalfitani Stadium in Buenos Aires hosted three matches — bringing the Argentine capital and largest city's total to 12 — nearly a third of all the matches played. The Minella stadium in Mar del Plata was heavily criticized due to its terrible pitch, which was deemed "nearly unplayable"; whereas the Amalfitani stadium in Buenos Aires, which was refurbished with the completion of press boxes and another section of upper stands but was the least used stadium for the tournament, was praised for its very good pitch.[21][22] Brazil was forced by tournament organizers to play all three of its first group matches in Mar del Plata; there had been rumors and allegations of the organizers deliberately sabotaging the Minella stadium's pitch to weaken Brazil's chances of success.

Buenos Aires, Federal District Córdoba City, Córdoba
Estadio Monumental José Amalfitani Stadium Estadio Chateau Carreras
Capacity: 74,624 Capacity: 49,318 Capacity: 46,986
Estadio Monumental Mundial 78.jpg Estadio José Amalfitani.JPG Estadio Córdoba (Arg vs Ghana) 1.jpg
Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires Province
Estadio José María Minella
Capacity: 43,542
PT ESTADIO2.jpg
Rosario, Santa Fe
Estadio Gigante de Arroyito
Capacity: 45,645
Postal 1978-2.JPG
Mendoza City, Mendoza Stadiums in Buenos Aires
Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza
Capacity: 34,954
Estadio Malvinas Argentinas en 1978.jpg

Discover more about Venues related topics

La Plata

La Plata

La Plata is the capital city of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. According to the 2022 census, it has a population of 772.618 and its metropolitan area, the Greater La Plata, has 938.287 inhabitants. It is located 9 kilometers inland from the southern shore of the Río de la Plata estuary.

Estadio Ciudad de La Plata

Estadio Ciudad de La Plata

The Estadio Único Diego Armando Maradona is a multi-purpose stadium located in the city of La Plata, Argentina. It is also known popularly as the Estadio Único and is owned by Buenos Aires Province, administered jointly by the provincial government, the Municipality of La Plata, and the football clubs Estudiantes de La Plata and Gimnasia y Esgrima de la Plata.

Estadio Presidente Juan Domingo Perón

Estadio Presidente Juan Domingo Perón

The Estadio Juan Domingo Perón, popularly known as El Cilindro de Avellaneda, is an association football stadium located in the Avellaneda district of Greater Buenos Aires, Argentina. The stadium is the home venue of Racing Club.

Córdoba, Argentina

Córdoba, Argentina

Córdoba is a city in central Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about 700 km (435 mi) northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province and the second most populous city in Argentina after Buenos Aires, with about 1.3 million inhabitants according to the 2010 census. It was founded on 6 July 1573 by Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera, who named it after Córdoba, Spain. It was one of the early Spanish colonial capitals of the region that is now Argentina. The National University of Córdoba is the oldest university of the country. It was founded in 1613 by the Jesuit Order. Because of this, Córdoba earned the nickname La Docta.

Estadio José María Minella

Estadio José María Minella

The Estadio José María Minella is a stadium in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina. It is owned and administrated by the Municipality of General Pueyrredón. Inaugurated for the 1978 FIFA World Cup hosted by Argentina, the stadium is currently used by local clubs Alvarado and Aldosivi to play their home matches.

Mar del Plata

Mar del Plata

Mar del Plata is a city on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the seat of General Pueyrredón district. Mar del Plata is the second largest city in Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" is a shortening of "Mar del Rio de la Plata," and has the meaning of "sea of the Rio de la Plata basin" or "adjoining sea to the (River) Plate region". Mar del Plata is one of the major fishing ports and the biggest seaside beach resort in Argentina. With a population of 682.605 as per the 2022 census [INDEC], it is the 5th largest city in Argentina.

Estadio Malvinas Argentinas

Estadio Malvinas Argentinas

Malvinas Argentinas Stadium is a stadium in the city of Mendoza in the homonymous province of Argentina. With a seating capacity of 42,000 spectators, the stadium is the largest in Mendoza. Built for the 1978 FIFA World Cup, It is owned and administrated by the Provincial Government.

Mendoza, Argentina

Mendoza, Argentina

Mendoza, officially the City of Mendoza is the capital of the province of Mendoza in Argentina. It is located in the northern-central part of the province, in a region of foothills and high plains, on the eastern side of the Andes. As of the 2010 census [INDEC], Mendoza had a population of 115,041 with a metropolitan population of 1,055,679, making Greater Mendoza the fourth largest census metropolitan area in the country.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South America's southeastern coast. "Buenos Aires" can be translated as "fair winds" or "good airs", but the former was the meaning intended by the founders in the 16th century, by the use of the original name "Real de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Ayre", named after the Madonna of Bonaria in Sardinia, Italy. Buenos Aires is classified as an alpha global city, according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) 2020 ranking.

Córdoba Province, Argentina

Córdoba Province, Argentina

Córdoba is a province of Argentina, located in the center of the country. Its neighboring provinces are Santiago del Estero, Santa Fe, Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis, La Rioja, and Catamarca. Together with Santa Fe and Entre Ríos, the province is part of the economic and political association known as the Center Region.

José Amalfitani Stadium

José Amalfitani Stadium

The José Amalfitani Stadium is a stadium located in the Liniers neighborhood of Buenos Aires, Argentina, near Liniers railway station. The venue is the home of the Argentine Primera División club Vélez Sarsfield and is also known as El Fortín de Liniers or Vélez Sarsfield. The stadium was named after José Amalfitani, who was president of Vélez Sarsfield for 30 years.

Buenos Aires Province

Buenos Aires Province

Buenos Aires, officially the Buenos Aires Province, is the largest and most populous Argentine province. It takes its name from the city of Buenos Aires, the capital of the country, which used to be part of the province and the province's capital until it was federalized in 1880. Since then, in spite of bearing the same name, the province does not include Buenos Aires proper, though it does include all other parts of the Greater Buenos Aires metropolitan area. The capital of the province is the city of La Plata, founded in 1882.

Match officials

AFC
CAF
CONCACAF
CONMEBOL
UEFA

Discover more about Match officials related topics

Farouk Bouzo

Farouk Bouzo

Farouk Bouzo is a retired Syrian international football referee. He pioneered a new style of VAR in Egyptian football.

Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran

Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran

The Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) (Persian: فدراسیون فوتبال جمهوری اسلامی ایران, Federâsion-è Futbâl-è Jomhuri-ye Eslâmi-ye Irân) is the governing body for football in Iran. It was founded in 1920, and has been a member of FIFA since 1948. It is also a member of the Asian Football Confederation. The FFIRI is responsible for organizing the Iran national team.

Jafar Namdar

Jafar Namdar

Jafar Namdar was an Iranian football referee.

Israel Football Association

Israel Football Association

Israel's Football Association is the governing body of football in Israel. It organizes a variety of association football leagues where the highest level is the Israeli Premier League; as well as national cups such as the Israel State Cup, the Toto Cup, and the Israel Super Cup; also, the Israel national football team. The IFA was founded in 1928 as the Palestine Football Association and is based in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. The Association is controversial due to its inclusion of clubs playing in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Abraham Klein (referee)

Abraham Klein (referee)

Abraham Klein is an Israeli former international football referee. He refereed international matches between 1965 and 1982, including the 1968 and 1976 Olympics and important matches at the Mexico 1970, Argentina 1978 and Spain 1982 World Cup Finals. He was also a linesman for the 1982 World Cup Final in Spain.

Brazilian Football Confederation

Brazilian Football Confederation

The Brazilian Football Confederation is the governing body of football in Brazil. It was founded on Monday, 8 June 1914, as Federação Brasileira de Sports, and renamed Confederação Brasileira de Desportos in 1916. The football confederation, as known today, separated from other sports associations on 24 September 1979. Between 1914 and 1979 it was the governing body, or at least the international reference, for other olympic sports, such as tennis, athletics, handball, swimming and waterpolo. It currently has the most wins on FIFA world cups, with a total of five.

Arnaldo Cézar Coelho

Arnaldo Cézar Coelho

Arnaldo David Cézar Coelho is a former football referee. He was the first Brazilian, indeed the first non-European, to take charge of the FIFA World Cup final when he officiated in the 1982 final between Italy and West Germany.

Argentine Football Association

Argentine Football Association

The Argentine Football Association is the governing body of football in Argentina based in Buenos Aires. It organises the main divisions of Argentine league system, including domestic cups: Copa Argentina, Supercopa Argentina, Copa de la Liga Profesional, Trofeo de Campeones de la Liga Profesional and the Supercopa Internacional. The body also manages all the Argentina national teams, including the Senior, U-20, U-17, U-15, Olympic and women's squads. Secondly, it also organizes the women's, children, youth, futsal, and other local leagues.

Football Federation of Chile

Football Federation of Chile

The Football Federation of Chile is the governing body of football in Chile. It was founded 19 June 1895, making it the second oldest South American association football federation, and is a founding member of CONMEBOL in 1916. It supervises of the Chile national football team, Chile women's national football team, Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Profesional: (National Association of Professional Football, originally called Asociación Central de Fútbol, or ACF, and Asociación Nacional de Fútbol Amateur.

German Football Association

German Football Association

The German Football Association is the governing body of football, futsal, and beach soccer in Germany. A founding member of both FIFA and UEFA, the DFB has jurisdiction for the German football league system and is in charge of the men's and women's national teams. The DFB headquarters are in Frankfurt am Main. Sole members of the DFB are the German Football League, organising the professional Bundesliga and the 2. Bundesliga, along with five regional and 21 state associations, organising the semi-professional and amateur levels. The 21 state associations of the DFB have a combined number of more than 25,000 clubs with more than 6.8 million members, making the DFB the single largest sports federation in the world.

Ferdinand Biwersi

Ferdinand Biwersi

Ferdinand Biwersi was a German football referee.

Charles Corver

Charles Corver

Charles George Reinier Corver was a Dutch football referee.

Squads

For a list of all squads that appeared in the final tournament, see 1978 FIFA World Cup squads.

Seeding

Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4

Discover more about Seeding related topics

Argentina national football team

Argentina national football team

The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in men's international football and is administered by the Argentine Football Association, the governing body for football in Argentina.

Germany national football team

Germany national football team

The Germany national football team represents Germany in men's international football and played its first match in 1908. The team is governed by the German Football Association, founded in 1900. Between 1949 and 1990, separate German national teams were recognised by FIFA due to Allied occupation and division: the DFB's team representing the Federal Republic of Germany, the Saarland team representing the Saar Protectorate (1950–1956) and the East Germany team representing the German Democratic Republic (1952–1990). The latter two were absorbed along with their records; the present team represents the reunified Federal Republic. The official name and code "Germany FR (FRG)" was shortened to "Germany (GER)" following reunification in 1990.

Netherlands national football team

Netherlands national football team

The Netherlands national football team has represented the Netherlands in international men's football matches since 1905. The men's national team is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), the governing body for football in the Netherlands, which is a part of UEFA, under the jurisdiction of FIFA. They were sometimes regarded as the greatest national team of the respective generations. Most of the Netherlands home matches are played at the Johan Cruyff Arena, De Kuip, Philips Stadion and De Grolsch Veste.

Brazil national football team

Brazil national football team

The Brazil national football team, nicknamed Seleção Canarinha, represents Brazil in men's international football and is administered by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), the governing body for football in Brazil. They have been a member of FIFA since 1923 and a member of CONMEBOL since 1916.

Italy national football team

Italy national football team

The Italy national football team has represented Italy in international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy, which is a co-founder and member of UEFA. Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence. Italy are the reigning European champions, having won UEFA Euro 2020.

Mexico national football team

Mexico national football team

The Mexico national football team represents Mexico in international football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation. It competes as a member of CONCACAF.

Peru national football team

Peru national football team

The Peru national football team represents Peru in men's international football. The national team has been organised, since 1927, by the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF). The FPF constitutes one of the ten members of FIFA's South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). Peru has won the Copa América twice, and has qualified for the FIFA World Cup five times ; the team also participated in the 1936 Olympic football competition and has reached the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In the past, they were often considered 4th best in South America, after Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. The team plays most of its home matches at the Estadio Nacional in Lima, the country's capital.

Hungary national football team

Hungary national football team

The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in men's international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation. The team has made 9 appearances in the FIFA World Cup and 4 appearances in the European Championship, and plays its home matches at the Puskás Aréna, which opened in November 2019.

Poland national football team

Poland national football team

The Poland national football team has represented Poland in men's international tournaments football competitions since their first match in 1921. The team is controlled by the Polish Football Association (PZPN), the governing body for football in Poland.

Austria national football team

Austria national football team

The Austria national football team represents Austria in men's international football competition and it is controlled by the Austrian Football Association.

France national football team

France national football team

The France national football team represents France in men's international football matches. It is governed by the French Football Federation, the governing body for football in France. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colors and imagery reference two national symbols: the French red-white-blue tricolour and Gallic rooster. The team is colloquially known as Les Bleus. They play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis and train at INF Clairefontaine in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines.

Iran national football team

Iran national football team

The Iran national football team, recognised by FIFA as IR Iran, represents Iran in international football and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI).

First round

Group 1

France (wearing Club Kimberley jerseys) v Hungary. Jean Petit carrying the ball
France (wearing Club Kimberley jerseys) v Hungary. Jean Petit carrying the ball
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Italy 3 3 0 0 6 2 +4 6 Advance to second round
2  Argentina 3 2 0 1 4 3 +1 4
3  France 3 1 0 2 5 5 0 2
4  Hungary 3 0 0 3 3 8 −5 0
Source: FIFA
2 June 1978
Italy  2–1  France Estadio José María Minella, Mar del Plata
Argentina  2–1  Hungary Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
6 June 1978
Italy  3–1  Hungary Estadio José María Minella, Mar del Plata
Argentina  2–1  France Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
10 June 1978
France  3–1  Hungary Estadio José María Minella, Mar del Plata
Argentina  0–1  Italy Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires

Group 2

Tunisia at the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification in Cairo.
Tunisia at the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification in Cairo.
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Poland 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 5 Advance to second round
2  West Germany 3 1 2 0 6 0 +6 4
3  Tunisia 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 3
4  Mexico 3 0 0 3 2 12 −10 0
Source: FIFA
1 June 1978
West Germany  0–0  Poland Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
2 June 1978
Tunisia  3–1  Mexico Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario
6 June 1978
West Germany  6–0  Mexico Estadio Chateau Carreras, Córdoba
Poland  1–0  Tunisia Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario
10 June 1978
West Germany  0–0  Tunisia Estadio Olímpico Chateau Carreras, Córdoba
Poland  3–1  Mexico Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario

Group 3

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Austria 3 2 0 1 3 2 +1 4 Advance to second round
2  Brazil 3 1 2 0 2 1 +1 4
3  Spain 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 3
4  Sweden 3 0 1 2 1 3 −2 1
Source: FIFA
3 June 1978
Austria  2–1  Spain José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires
Brazil  1–1  Sweden Estadio José Maria Minella, Mar del Plata
7 June 1978
Austria  1–0  Sweden José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires
Brazil  0–0  Spain Estadio José Maria Minella, Mar del Plata
11 June 1978
Spain  1–0  Sweden José Amalfitani Stadium, Buenos Aires
Brazil  1–0  Austria Estadio José Maria Minella, Mar del Plata

Group 4

Teófilo Cubillas's free kick for a Peru goal v Scotland
Teófilo Cubillas's free kick for a Peru goal v Scotland
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Peru 3 2 1 0 7 2 +5 5 Advance to second round
2  Netherlands 3 1 1 1 5 3 +2 3
3  Scotland 3 1 1 1 5 6 −1 3
4  Iran 3 0 1 2 2 8 −6 1
Source: FIFA
3 June 1978
Peru  3–1  Scotland Estadio Chateau Carreras, Córdoba
Netherlands  3–0  Iran Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza, Mendoza
7 June 1978
Scotland  1–1  Iran Estadio Chateau Carreras, Córdoba
Netherlands  0–0  Peru Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza, Mendoza
11 June 1978
Peru  4–1  Iran Estadio Chateau Carreras, Córdoba
Scotland  3–2  Netherlands Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza, Mendoza

Discover more about First round related topics

1978 FIFA World Cup Group 1

1978 FIFA World Cup Group 1

Group 1 of the 1978 FIFA World Cup was one of four groups of nations competing at the 1978 FIFA World Cup. The group's first round of matches began on 2 June and its last matches were played on 10 June. All six group matches were played either at Estadio José María Minella in Mar del Plata, or Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. The group consisted of Argentina as well as Italy, France and Hungary.

Kimberley de Mar del Plata

Kimberley de Mar del Plata

Club Atlético Kimberley, also known as Kimberley de Mar del Plata, is an Argentine sports club based on the city of Mar del Plata in Buenos Aires Province. Founded on 6 July 1921, Kimberley is mostly known for its football team, which currently plays in Torneo Federal B, the regionalised 4th division of the Argentine league system.

Italy national football team

Italy national football team

The Italy national football team has represented Italy in international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy, which is a co-founder and member of UEFA. Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence. Italy are the reigning European champions, having won UEFA Euro 2020.

Argentina national football team

Argentina national football team

The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in men's international football and is administered by the Argentine Football Association, the governing body for football in Argentina.

France national football team

France national football team

The France national football team represents France in men's international football matches. It is governed by the French Football Federation, the governing body for football in France. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colors and imagery reference two national symbols: the French red-white-blue tricolour and Gallic rooster. The team is colloquially known as Les Bleus. They play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis and train at INF Clairefontaine in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines.

Hungary national football team

Hungary national football team

The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in men's international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation. The team has made 9 appearances in the FIFA World Cup and 4 appearances in the European Championship, and plays its home matches at the Puskás Aréna, which opened in November 2019.

Estadio José María Minella

Estadio José María Minella

The Estadio José María Minella is a stadium in the city of Mar del Plata, Argentina. It is owned and administrated by the Municipality of General Pueyrredón. Inaugurated for the 1978 FIFA World Cup hosted by Argentina, the stadium is currently used by local clubs Alvarado and Aldosivi to play their home matches.

Mar del Plata

Mar del Plata

Mar del Plata is a city on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the seat of General Pueyrredón district. Mar del Plata is the second largest city in Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" is a shortening of "Mar del Rio de la Plata," and has the meaning of "sea of the Rio de la Plata basin" or "adjoining sea to the (River) Plate region". Mar del Plata is one of the major fishing ports and the biggest seaside beach resort in Argentina. With a population of 682.605 as per the 2022 census [INDEC], it is the 5th largest city in Argentina.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South America's southeastern coast. "Buenos Aires" can be translated as "fair winds" or "good airs", but the former was the meaning intended by the founders in the 16th century, by the use of the original name "Real de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Ayre", named after the Madonna of Bonaria in Sardinia, Italy. Buenos Aires is classified as an alpha global city, according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) 2020 ranking.

Second round

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Netherlands 3 2 1 0 9 4 +5 5 Advance to final
2  Italy 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 3 Advance to third place play-off
3  West Germany 3 0 2 1 4 5 −1 2
4  Austria 3 1 0 2 4 8 −4 2
Source: FIFA
14 June 1978
Austria  1–5  Netherlands Estadio Chateau Carreras, Córdoba
Italy  0–0  West Germany Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
18 June 1978
Netherlands  2–2  West Germany Estadio Chateau Carreras, Córdoba
Italy  1–0  Austria Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
21 June 1978
Austria  3–2  West Germany Estadio Chateau Carreras, Córdoba
Italy  1–2  Netherlands Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires

Group B

Mario Kempes saving Argentina goal with his hand so the referee awarded a penalty kick to Poland
Mario Kempes saving Argentina goal with his hand so the referee awarded a penalty kick to Poland
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Argentina 3 2 1 0 8 0 +8 5 Advance to final
2  Brazil 3 2 1 0 6 1 +5 5 Advance to third place play-off
3  Poland 3 1 0 2 2 5 −3 2
4  Peru 3 0 0 3 0 10 −10 0
Source: FIFA
14 June 1978
Peru  0–3  Brazil Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza, Mendoza
Argentina  2–0  Poland Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario
18 June 1978
Peru  0–1  Poland Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza, Mendoza
Argentina  0–0  Brazil Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario
21 June 1978
Poland  1–3  Brazil Estadio Ciudad de Mendoza, Mendoza
Argentina  6–0  Peru Estadio Gigante de Arroyito, Rosario

Discover more about Second round related topics

1978 FIFA World Cup Group A

1978 FIFA World Cup Group A

Group A of the 1978 FIFA World Cup was one of two groups of nations competing for the De facto semifinals the 1978 FIFA World Cup. The group's first round of matches began on 14 June and its last matches were played on 21 June. All six group matches were played either at the Estadio Chateau Carreras in Córdoba, or the Estadio Monumental in the capital Buenos Aires. The group consisted of West Germany as well as the Netherlands, Italy and Austria. The Netherlands advanced to the final match, and Italy advanced to the third place match.

Netherlands national football team

Netherlands national football team

The Netherlands national football team has represented the Netherlands in international men's football matches since 1905. The men's national team is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), the governing body for football in the Netherlands, which is a part of UEFA, under the jurisdiction of FIFA. They were sometimes regarded as the greatest national team of the respective generations. Most of the Netherlands home matches are played at the Johan Cruyff Arena, De Kuip, Philips Stadion and De Grolsch Veste.

Italy national football team

Italy national football team

The Italy national football team has represented Italy in international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy, which is a co-founder and member of UEFA. Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence. Italy are the reigning European champions, having won UEFA Euro 2020.

Germany national football team

Germany national football team

The Germany national football team represents Germany in men's international football and played its first match in 1908. The team is governed by the German Football Association, founded in 1900. Between 1949 and 1990, separate German national teams were recognised by FIFA due to Allied occupation and division: the DFB's team representing the Federal Republic of Germany, the Saarland team representing the Saar Protectorate (1950–1956) and the East Germany team representing the German Democratic Republic (1952–1990). The latter two were absorbed along with their records; the present team represents the reunified Federal Republic. The official name and code "Germany FR (FRG)" was shortened to "Germany (GER)" following reunification in 1990.

Austria national football team

Austria national football team

The Austria national football team represents Austria in men's international football competition and it is controlled by the Austrian Football Association.

Córdoba, Argentina

Córdoba, Argentina

Córdoba is a city in central Argentina, in the foothills of the Sierras Chicas on the Suquía River, about 700 km (435 mi) northwest of Buenos Aires. It is the capital of Córdoba Province and the second most populous city in Argentina after Buenos Aires, with about 1.3 million inhabitants according to the 2010 census. It was founded on 6 July 1573 by Jerónimo Luis de Cabrera, who named it after Córdoba, Spain. It was one of the early Spanish colonial capitals of the region that is now Argentina. The National University of Córdoba is the oldest university of the country. It was founded in 1613 by the Jesuit Order. Because of this, Córdoba earned the nickname La Docta.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South America's southeastern coast. "Buenos Aires" can be translated as "fair winds" or "good airs", but the former was the meaning intended by the founders in the 16th century, by the use of the original name "Real de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Ayre", named after the Madonna of Bonaria in Sardinia, Italy. Buenos Aires is classified as an alpha global city, according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) 2020 ranking.

Knockout stage

Third place play-off

Brazil 2–1 Italy
Nelinho 64'
Dirceu 71'
Report Causio 38'

Final

Argentina 3–1 (a.e.t.) Netherlands
Kempes 38', 105'
Bertoni 115'
Report Nanninga 82'

Discover more about Knockout stage related topics

1978 FIFA World Cup knockout stage

1978 FIFA World Cup knockout stage

The knockout stage of 1978 FIFA World Cup was a single-elimination tournament involving the four teams that qualified from the second group stage of the tournament. There were two matches: a third place play-off contested by the group runners-up, and the final to decide the champions, contested by the group winners. The knockout stage began with the third place play-off on 24 June and ended with the final on 25 June 1978, both at the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires. Argentina won the tournament with a 3–1 victory over the Netherlands.

Brazil national football team

Brazil national football team

The Brazil national football team, nicknamed Seleção Canarinha, represents Brazil in men's international football and is administered by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), the governing body for football in Brazil. They have been a member of FIFA since 1923 and a member of CONMEBOL since 1916.

Italy national football team

Italy national football team

The Italy national football team has represented Italy in international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy, which is a co-founder and member of UEFA. Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence. Italy are the reigning European champions, having won UEFA Euro 2020.

Dirceu

Dirceu

Dirceu José Guimarães, known as Dirceu, was a Brazilian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, notably for Botafogo and the Brazil national team as well as numerous Italian teams in the 1980s–early 1990s.

Franco Causio

Franco Causio

Franco Causio is an Italian former professional footballer who won the 1982 FIFA World Cup and played for Juventus for many years in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Regarded as one of Italy's greatest ever wingers, throughout his career, he was given the nickname "The Baron", because of his stylish moves on the pitch, as well as his well-educated upbringing, and his fair attitude in life.

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires, officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South America's southeastern coast. "Buenos Aires" can be translated as "fair winds" or "good airs", but the former was the meaning intended by the founders in the 16th century, by the use of the original name "Real de Nuestra Señora Santa María del Buen Ayre", named after the Madonna of Bonaria in Sardinia, Italy. Buenos Aires is classified as an alpha global city, according to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) 2020 ranking.

Abraham Klein (referee)

Abraham Klein (referee)

Abraham Klein is an Israeli former international football referee. He refereed international matches between 1965 and 1982, including the 1968 and 1976 Olympics and important matches at the Mexico 1970, Argentina 1978 and Spain 1982 World Cup Finals. He was also a linesman for the 1982 World Cup Final in Spain.

Israel Football Association

Israel Football Association

Israel's Football Association is the governing body of football in Israel. It organizes a variety of association football leagues where the highest level is the Israeli Premier League; as well as national cups such as the Israel State Cup, the Toto Cup, and the Israel Super Cup; also, the Israel national football team. The IFA was founded in 1928 as the Palestine Football Association and is based in the Tel Aviv District city of Ramat Gan, Israel. The Association is controversial due to its inclusion of clubs playing in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.

1978 FIFA World Cup final

1978 FIFA World Cup final

The 1978 FIFA World Cup final was a football match played to determine the winner of the 1978 FIFA World Cup. The match was contested by hosts Argentina and the Netherlands, in the biggest stadium used in the tournament and in Argentina, the Estadio Monumental in the Argentine capital city of Buenos Aires. The match was won by the Argentine squad in extra time by a score of 3–1. Mario Kempes, who finished as the tournament's top scorer, was named the man of the match. The Netherlands lost their second World Cup final in a row, both times to the host nation, after losing to West Germany in 1974.

Argentina national football team

Argentina national football team

The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in men's international football and is administered by the Argentine Football Association, the governing body for football in Argentina.

Daniel Bertoni

Daniel Bertoni

Ricardo Daniel Bertoni is an Argentine former footballer who played as a right or left winger. In Argentina, he had a successful career at Club Atlético Independiente, where he won three Copa Libertadores, one Intercontinental Cup and three Copa Interamericana trophies.

Dick Nanninga

Dick Nanninga

Dirk Jacobus Willem "Dick" Nanninga was a Dutch footballer who played as a forward. At club level, he played for Dutch sides BV Veendam, Roda JC and MVV Maastricht. He also had a short spell with Hong Kong club Seiko. At international level, he represented the Netherlands at the 1978 FIFA World Cup and UEFA Euro 1980.

Goalscorers

With six goals, Mario Kempes was the top scorer in the tournament. In total, 102 goals were scored by 62 players, with three of them credited as own goals.

6 goals
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
Own goals

Discover more about Goalscorers related topics

Argentina

Argentina

Argentina, officially the Argentine Republic, is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of 2,780,400 km2 (1,073,500 sq mi), making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, the fourth-largest country in the Americas, and the eighth-largest country in the world. It shares the bulk of the Southern Cone with Chile to the west, and is also bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north, Brazil to the northeast, Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Drake Passage to the south. Argentina is a federal state subdivided into twenty-three provinces, and one autonomous city, which is the federal capital and largest city of the nation, Buenos Aires. The provinces and the capital have their own constitutions, but exist under a federal system. Argentina claims sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, and a part of Antarctica.

Mario Kempes

Mario Kempes

Mario Alberto Kempes Chiodi is an Argentine former professional footballer who played as a striker or attacking midfielder. A prolific goalscorer, he finished as La Liga's top goalscorer twice with Valencia where he amassed 116 goals in 184 league games.

Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands, informally Holland, is a country located in northwestern Europe with overseas territories in the Caribbean. It is the largest of four constituent countries of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Netherlands consists of twelve provinces; it borders Germany to the east, and Belgium to the south, with a North Sea coastline to the north and west. It shares maritime borders with the United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium in the North Sea. The country's official language is Dutch, with West Frisian as a secondary official language in the province of Friesland. Dutch, English and Papiamento are official in the Caribbean territories.

Leopoldo Luque

Leopoldo Luque

Leopoldo Jacinto Luque (Spanish pronunciation: [leoˈpoldo xaˈsinto ˈluke]; was an Argentine footballer who played as a striker.

Austria

Austria

Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in the southern part of Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine states, one of which is the capital, Vienna, the most populous city and state. Austria is bordered by Germany to the northwest, the Czech Republic to the north, Slovakia to the northeast, Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the west. The country occupies an area of 83,871 km2 (32,383 sq mi) and has a population of 9 million.

Hans Krankl

Hans Krankl

Johann "Hans" Krankl is a retired Austrian footballer. A prolific striker, Krankl is regarded by many as one of Austria's greatest players.

Brazil

Brazil

Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America and in Latin America. At 8.5 million square kilometers (3,300,000 sq mi) and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area and the seventh most populous. Its capital is Brasília, and its most populous city is São Paulo. The federation is composed of the union of the 26 states and the Federal District. It is the only country in the Americas to have Portuguese as an official language. It is one of the most multicultural and ethnically diverse nations, due to over a century of mass immigration from around the world, and the most populous Roman Catholic-majority country.

Dirceu

Dirceu

Dirceu José Guimarães, known as Dirceu, was a Brazilian footballer who played as an attacking midfielder, notably for Botafogo and the Brazil national team as well as numerous Italian teams in the 1980s–early 1990s.

Italy

Italy

Italy, officially the Italian Republic or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern and Western Europe. Located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, it consists of a peninsula delimited by the Alps and surrounded by several islands; its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical region. Italy shares land borders with France, Switzerland, Austria, Slovenia and the enclaved microstates of Vatican City and San Marino. It has a territorial exclave in Switzerland, Campione, and some islands in the African Plate. Italy covers an area of 301,230 km2 (116,310 sq mi), with a population of about 60 million. It is the third-most populous member state of the European Union, the sixth-most populous country in Europe, and the tenth-largest country in the continent by land area. Italy's capital and largest city is Rome.

Paolo Rossi

Paolo Rossi

Paolo Rossi was an Italian professional footballer who played as a forward. He led Italy to the 1982 FIFA World Cup title, scoring six goals to win the Golden Boot as top goalscorer, and the Golden Ball for the player of the tournament. Rossi is one of only three players, and the only European, to have won all three awards at a World Cup, along with Garrincha in 1962 and Mario Kempes in 1978. Rossi was also awarded the 1982 Ballon d'Or as the European Footballer of the Year for his performances. Along with Roberto Baggio and Christian Vieri, he is Italy's top scorer in World Cup history, with nine goals overall.

Johnny Rep

Johnny Rep

John Nicholaas Rep is a Dutch former professional footballer who played as a right winger. He holds the all-time record for FIFA World Cup goals for the Netherlands with 7.

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Karl-Heinz "Kalle" Rummenigge is a German football executive and former professional player. He was the longtime Chairman of Executive Board of FC Bayern München AG, a daughter company of German Bundesliga team Bayern Munich.

FIFA retrospective ranking

In 1986, FIFA published a report that ranked all teams in each World Cup up to and including 1986, based on progress in the competition, overall results and quality of the opposition.[23][24] The rankings for the 1978 tournament were as follows:

R Grp Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Result
1 1/B  Argentina 7 5 1 1 15 4 +11 11 Champion
2 4/A  Netherlands 7 3 2 2 15 10 +5 8 Runners-up
3 3/B  Brazil 7 4 3 0 10 3 +7 11 Third place
4 1/A  Italy 7 4 1 2 9 6 +3 9 Fourth place
5 2/B  Poland 6 3 1 2 6 6 0 7 Eliminated
in the
second group stage
6 2/A  West Germany 6 1 4 1 10 5 +5 6
7 3/A  Austria 6 3 0 3 7 10 −3 6
8 4/B  Peru 6 2 1 3 7 12 −5 5
9 2  Tunisia 3 1 1 1 3 2 +1 3 Eliminated
in the
first group stage
10 3  Spain 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 3
11 4  Scotland 3 1 1 1 5 6 −1 3
12 1  France 3 1 0 2 5 5 0 2
13 3  Sweden 3 0 1 2 1 3 −2 1
14 4  Iran 3 0 1 2 2 8 −6 1
15 1  Hungary 3 0 0 3 3 8 −5 0
16 2  Mexico 3 0 0 3 2 12 −10 0
Source: [23][24]

Discover more about FIFA retrospective ranking related topics

Argentina national football team

Argentina national football team

The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in men's international football and is administered by the Argentine Football Association, the governing body for football in Argentina.

Netherlands national football team

Netherlands national football team

The Netherlands national football team has represented the Netherlands in international men's football matches since 1905. The men's national team is controlled by the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB), the governing body for football in the Netherlands, which is a part of UEFA, under the jurisdiction of FIFA. They were sometimes regarded as the greatest national team of the respective generations. Most of the Netherlands home matches are played at the Johan Cruyff Arena, De Kuip, Philips Stadion and De Grolsch Veste.

Brazil national football team

Brazil national football team

The Brazil national football team, nicknamed Seleção Canarinha, represents Brazil in men's international football and is administered by the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF), the governing body for football in Brazil. They have been a member of FIFA since 1923 and a member of CONMEBOL since 1916.

Italy national football team

Italy national football team

The Italy national football team has represented Italy in international football since its first match in 1910. The national team is controlled by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), the governing body for football in Italy, which is a co-founder and member of UEFA. Italy's home matches are played at various stadiums throughout Italy, and its primary training ground and technical headquarters, Centro Tecnico Federale di Coverciano, is located in Florence. Italy are the reigning European champions, having won UEFA Euro 2020.

Poland national football team

Poland national football team

The Poland national football team has represented Poland in men's international tournaments football competitions since their first match in 1921. The team is controlled by the Polish Football Association (PZPN), the governing body for football in Poland.

Germany national football team

Germany national football team

The Germany national football team represents Germany in men's international football and played its first match in 1908. The team is governed by the German Football Association, founded in 1900. Between 1949 and 1990, separate German national teams were recognised by FIFA due to Allied occupation and division: the DFB's team representing the Federal Republic of Germany, the Saarland team representing the Saar Protectorate (1950–1956) and the East Germany team representing the German Democratic Republic (1952–1990). The latter two were absorbed along with their records; the present team represents the reunified Federal Republic. The official name and code "Germany FR (FRG)" was shortened to "Germany (GER)" following reunification in 1990.

Austria national football team

Austria national football team

The Austria national football team represents Austria in men's international football competition and it is controlled by the Austrian Football Association.

Peru national football team

Peru national football team

The Peru national football team represents Peru in men's international football. The national team has been organised, since 1927, by the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF). The FPF constitutes one of the ten members of FIFA's South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL). Peru has won the Copa América twice, and has qualified for the FIFA World Cup five times ; the team also participated in the 1936 Olympic football competition and has reached the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In the past, they were often considered 4th best in South America, after Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay. The team plays most of its home matches at the Estadio Nacional in Lima, the country's capital.

France national football team

France national football team

The France national football team represents France in men's international football matches. It is governed by the French Football Federation, the governing body for football in France. It is a member of UEFA in Europe and FIFA in global competitions. The team's colors and imagery reference two national symbols: the French red-white-blue tricolour and Gallic rooster. The team is colloquially known as Les Bleus. They play home matches at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis and train at INF Clairefontaine in Clairefontaine-en-Yvelines.

Iran national football team

Iran national football team

The Iran national football team, recognised by FIFA as IR Iran, represents Iran in international football and is controlled by the Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI).

Hungary national football team

Hungary national football team

The Hungary national football team represents Hungary in men's international football and is controlled by the Hungarian Football Federation. The team has made 9 appearances in the FIFA World Cup and 4 appearances in the European Championship, and plays its home matches at the Puskás Aréna, which opened in November 2019.

Mexico national football team

Mexico national football team

The Mexico national football team represents Mexico in international football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation. It competes as a member of CONCACAF.

Source: "1978 FIFA World Cup", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2023, March 15th), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1978_FIFA_World_Cup.

Enjoying Wikiz?

Enjoying Wikiz?

Get our FREE extension now!

Notes
  1. ^ "1982 FIFA World Cup Technical Report" (PDF). FIFA Technical Group. 1982. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2010.
  2. ^ a b "1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina - Awards". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Archived from the original on 7 March 2015. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  3. ^ Forrest, David (5 July 2017). "The political message hidden on the goalposts at the 1978 World Cup". The Guardian. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  4. ^ Lundström, Klas. "Argentina's World Cup 1978: When FIFA Backed a Junta". 20 November 2022.
  5. ^ Pablo Llonto, "I Mondiali della vergogna. I campionati di Argentina '78 e la dittatura"("The World Cup of the Shame. Argentina '78 and the dictatorship"), Edizioni Alegre, Rome 2010, p. 38.
  6. ^ a b Maier, Hanns J (June 1979). "1986 - World Cup without a home?". World Soccer. pp. 24–25.
  7. ^ "1978 FIFA World Cup Argentina Preliminaries". FIFA. Archived from the original on 20 December 2013.
  8. ^ Winner, David (21 June 2008). "But Was This The Beautiful Game's Ugliest Moment?". Financial Times. Archived from the original on 11 June 2010. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  9. ^ McDonnell, Patrick J. (28 June 2008). "Argentina's bittersweet win". LA Times. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
  10. ^ Doyle, Paul (16 April 2008). "Kidnappers made Cruyff miss World Cup". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 20 June 2008.
  11. ^ a b c Hersey, Will (16 June 2018). "Remembering Argentina 1978: The Dirtiest World Cup of All Time". Esquire.
  12. ^ Spurling, Jon (11 March 2016). "Argentina's 1978 World Cup Run: The Ugly Truth". Archived from the original on 29 October 2018. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  13. ^ a b "El capitán de Perú en el 78: 'Pongo la mano en el fuego por mis compañeros'". El Mundo (in Spanish).
  14. ^ "Keeping the Dark Side of Soccer Away From the City of Light". The New York Times. 7 June 1998. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  15. ^ "Niega Videla arreglo de partidos en Argentina 1978" (in Spanish). Excelsior. 26 April 2012.
  16. ^ "Bungs and bribes football can't kick this habit". The Independent. London. 15 March 1995. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  17. ^ "Argentina's 1978 World Cup win against Peru was fixed in a brutal political deal, former senator says". Yahoo Sports. 9 February 2012.
  18. ^ "Summary of Maradona's life". www.vivadiego.com. Archived from the original on 2 November 2000.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  19. ^ "The Netherlands pay back controversial loss to Argentina". CNN. 4 July 1998. Retrieved 20 April 2010.
  20. ^ Jon (4 February 2008). "Al sueño de Tucumán lo invadió la frustración".
  21. ^ "Estadio José Amalfitani". The Stadium Guide.
  22. ^ "YouTube". YouTube. Archived from the original on 2 January 2016. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  23. ^ a b "page 45" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 June 2010. Retrieved 2 March 2012.
  24. ^ a b "FIFA World Cup: Milestones, facts & figures. Statistical Kit 7" (PDF). FIFA. 26 March 2013. Archived from the original (PDF) on 21 May 2013.
External links

The content of this page is based on the Wikipedia article written by contributors..
The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence & the media files are available under their respective licenses; additional terms may apply.
By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use & Privacy Policy.
Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization & is not affiliated to WikiZ.com.