Netherlands vs West Germany – 1974 World Cup Final
Oranje's 1974 final heartbreak: Neeskens' early penalty not enough as Breitner and Müller strike for West Germany.
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. Most of the Netherlands home matches are played at the Johan Cruyff Arena, De Kuip, Philips Stadion, and De Grolsch Veste. The team is colloquially referred to as Het Nederlands Elftal (The Dutch Eleven) or Oranje, after the House of Orange-Nassau and their distinctive orange jerseys.
Their fan club is known as Het Oranje Legioen (The Orange Legion). The Netherlands has competed in eleven FIFA World Cups, appearing in the final three times (in 1974, 1978, and 2010), finishing as runners-up on all three occasions. They have also appeared in eleven UEFA European Championships, winning the 1988 tournament in West Germany. Additionally, the team has won bronze medals at three Olympic football tournaments, in 1908, 1912, and 1920.
The Netherlands has long-standing football rivalries with neighbours Belgium and Germany as well as the South American country of Argentina.
Quick Facts
- Match
- 1974 FIFA World Cup Final
- Date
- 7 July 1974
- Venue
- Olympic Stadium, Munich, West Germany
- Result
- West Germany 2 – 1 Netherlands
- Netherlands scorer
- Johan Neeskens (74')
- Dutch coach
- Rinus Michels
- Significance
- First World Cup Final in Netherlands history
Lore & Background
In 1974, the Netherlands beat both Brazil and Argentina in the second group stage, reaching the final for the first time in their history. However, they lost to West Germany in the final in Munich, after having gone up 1–0 through Johan Neeskens' early penalty kick before a German had even touched the ball. However, a penalty by Paul Breitner and the winner from Gerd Müller, led to a victory for the Germans.
Reader's Guide
The 1974 World Cup final saw the Netherlands take an early lead via a Johan Neeskens penalty. West Germany equalized through a Paul Breitner penalty, and Gerd Müller scored the winning goal. The Netherlands lost 2–1.
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