1978 FIFA World Cup

Lore & Background

The tournament was marred by controversy, domestic politics, and alleged interference by the Argentine military junta, which used the event for propaganda. The official match ball was the Adidas Tango Durlast. The logo was based on President Juan Perón's signature salute; the military tried to change it but failed due to commercial commitments. The cost of hosting was $700 million, including three new stadia and a new communications system.

In Their Own Story

The floodlights at the stadium hummed against the Argentine night. The green shirts of Mexico lined up opposite the dark-blue-and-white of West Germany, and the crowd — a sea of white and sky blue — fell into a strange, uncertain quiet. Nobody expected this. The German champions, polished and confident, began to press. But Mexico held. The midfield absorbed, the full-backs tracked, and then, in the kind of moment that belongs to folklore, the ball found its way to the net. Two goals. Silence from the Argentine stands. A roar from the small Mexican contingent in the upper tier, their flags waving like green fire. The final whistle came, and for ninety seconds, a nation of fifty million felt they had beaten the best. Then the next match arrived, and the dream thinned to memory.

Reader's Guide

The format remained the same as in 1974: 16 teams divided into four groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to two second-round groups of four. The group winners played in the final, and the runners-up played for third place. Newcomers to the finals were Iran and Tunisia. Mexico returned after missing the 1974 tournament.

Did You Know?

• Tunisia beat Mexico 3–1, becoming the first African team to win a World Cup match.
• Scotland's Willie Johnston was expelled after testing positive for a banned stimulant.
• The 1978 World Cup marked the fourth and last occasion a national team did not wear its own kit; France wore borrowed green-and-white striped jerseys from Club Atlético Kimberley.
• Rob Rensenbrink of the Netherlands scored the 1000th goal in World Cup history against Scotland.