![]() ![]() The way in which the West German captain organised his defence in a way that simply stopped the Dutch from deploying their unusual style to full effect remains impressive to this day. When it came to the final, Beckenbauer was perhaps the catalyst for West German success. They had built on the solid foundations laid during the first set of group games and had now added a cutting edge. The 1974 World Cup featured a second group phase, during which West Germany shifted through the gears, beating Yugoslavia, Sweden and Poland, keeping two clean sheets and scoring seven goals in the process. That experience proved invaluable as the West Germans navigated their way through an initial group containing Chile, Australia and East Germany. Playing in his third World Cup, Beckenbauer went into the tournament as a player not only blessed with height and natural physical ability, unrivaled defensive acumen, as well as an eye for killer passes, but at 29-years-old, he was a player who had experience on his side. Right at the very heart of that nightmare was Franz Beckenbauer, a clever, calculated defender, who orchestrated the entire game from his position in the centre of defence. Everybody knew their job, and crucially, every player did their job.Īhead of the 1974 World Cup, everybody knew that the West Germans would be a nightmare to face. Much of West Germany’s success in 1974 was built on defensive solidity. Tasked with the job of suppressing Holland’s creativity, with Franz Beckenbauer leading from the back, the tournament hosts held firm like only they could, fighting hard for their win on home soil. When Johan Neeskens’ converted from the penalty spot after just two minutes, scoring his fifth goal of the tournament, the Dutch looked on course to carry on dominating with their newfound approach, but the West Germans were having none of it, and after 25 minutes of the first period, had drawn level through Paul Breitner, who is still one of only four players to score in two separate World Cup Finals.īy halftime, the West Germans had completed the turnaround thanks to a 43rd minute goal from the everpresent Gerd Müller. Two vastly different giants of the game locked horns in a match for the ages, and despite what many people expected, it was the West Germans who emerged victorious. Their never before seen all-action style of play, where every player seemed to take up a variety of positions during the game, left fans both amazed and thrilled in equal measure. In complete contrast, the Netherlands went about changing the game by playing what they themselves called “Totaalvoetbal”, which translates as total football. While the West Germans had the astuteness of Beckenbauer and the no-nonsense finishing of Gerd Muller, the Dutch had the brilliance of Neeskens and the genius of Cruyff.Īt that time, West Germany did things efficiently, by adopting a somewhat pragmatic and organised style. Handle the pressure they did, getting the job done in a typically organised fashion, beating some more than useful outfits on their way to setting up a final against the total football of Holland’s golden generation. If there was one country that could make light work of handling the pressure then it was probably West Germany. The tenth renewal of FIFA’s showpiece event was of course held in West Germany, and that meant that the pressure was on. ![]() With some of the best talent in world football to call upon in the form of Franz Beckenbauer, Sepp Maier and Gerd Muller, a player who even today is considered as one of the greatest strikers of all time, West Germany would have been highly fancied to do well at the 1974 World Cup, even if they weren’t the host nation. With the 2022 World Cup in Qatar due to get underway in November, we're taking a look back through the history of the World Cup at the good, the bad and the amazing moments that remain in our memories to this very day and will live on forever. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |