World Cup Germany 1974
| Group 1 Results | ||||
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | - | Chile | 1-0 | (June 14, Olympiastadion) |
| German D. Rep. | - | Australia | 2-0 | (June 14, Volksparkstadion) |
| Chile | - | German D. Rep. | 1-1 | (June 18, Olympiastadion) |
| Australia | - | Fed. Rep. of Ger. | 0-3 | (June 18, Volksparkstadion) |
| Australia | - | Chile | 0-0 | (June 22, Olympiastadion) |
| German D. Rep. | - | Fed. Rep. of Ger. | 1-0 | (June 22, Volksparkstadion) |
| Group 1 Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| German D. Rep. | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 4 |
| Chile | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| Australia | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 1 |
| Group 2 Results | ||||
| Brazil | - | Yugoslavia | 0-0 | (June 13, Waldstadion) |
| Congo DR (Zaire) | - | Scotland | 0-2 | (June 14, Westfalenstadion) |
| Scotland | - | Brazil | 0-0 | (June 18, Waldstadion) |
| Yugoslavia | - | Congo DR (Zaire) | 9-0 | (June 18, Parkstadion) |
| Scotland | - | Yugoslavia | 1-1 | (June 22, Waldstadion) |
| Congo DR (Zaire) | - | Brazil | 0-3 | (June 22, Waldstadion) |
| Group 2 Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Yugoslavia | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | 4 |
| Brazil | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Scotland | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Congo DR (Zaire) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 14 | 0 |
| Group 3 Results | ||||
| Uruguay | - | Netherlands | 0-2 | (June 15, Niedersachsenstadion) |
| Sweden | - | Bulgaria | 0-0 | (June 15, Rheinstadion) |
| Bulgaria | - | Uruguay | 1-1 | (June 19, Niedersachsenstadion) |
| Netherlands | - | Sweden | 0-0 | (June 19, Westfalenstadion) |
| Sweden | - | Uruguay | 3-0 | (June 23, Rheinstadion) |
| Bulgaria | - | Netherlands | 1-4 | (June 23, Westfalenstadion) |
| Group 3 Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Sweden | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 |
| Bulgaria | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Uruguay | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 1 |
| Group 4 Results | ||||
| Poland | - | Argentina | 3-2 | (June 15, Neckarstadion) |
| Italy | - | Haiti | 3-1 | (June 15, Olympiastadion(mün)) |
| Haiti | - | Poland | 0-7 | (June 19, Olympiastadion(mün)) |
| Argentina | - | Italy | 1-1 | (June 19, Neckarstadion) |
| Argentina | - | Haiti | 4-1 | (June 23, Olympiastadion(mün)) |
| Poland | - | Italy | 2-1 | (June 23, Neckarstadion) |
| Group 4 Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Poland | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 3 | 6 |
| Argentina | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 3 |
| Italy | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| Haiti | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 14 | 0 |
| Group A Results | ||||
| Netherlands | - | Argentina | 4-0 | (June 26, Parkstadion) |
| Brazil | - | German D. Rep. | 1-0 | (June 26, Niedersachsenstadion) |
| German D. Rep. | - | Netherlands | 0-2 | (June 30, Parkstadion) |
| Argentina | - | Brazil | 1-2 | (June 30, Niedersachsenstadion) |
| Netherlands | - | Brazil | 2-0 | (July 3, Westfalenstadion) |
| Argentina | - | German D. Rep. | 1-1 | (July 3, Parkstadion |
| Group A Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Netherlands | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 6 |
| Brazil | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| German D. Rep. | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 |
| Argentina | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 1 |
| Group B Results | ||||
| Yugoslavia | - | Fed. Rep. of Ger. | 0-2 | (June 26, Rheinstadion) |
| Sweden | - | Poland | 0-1 | (June 26, Neckarstadion) |
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | - | Sweden | 4-2 | (June 30, Rheinstadion) |
| Poland | - | Yugoslavia | 2-1 | (June 30, Waldstadion) |
| Sweden | - | Yugoslavia | 2-1 | (July 3, Rheinstadion) |
| Poland | - | Fed. Rep. of Ger. | 0-1 | (July 3, Waldstadion) |
| Group A Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 6 |
| Poland | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Sweden | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 2 |
| Yugoslavia | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 3rd. / 4th. Placing | ||||
| Brazil | - | Poland | 0-1 | (July 6, Olympiastadion(mün)) |
| Final | ||||
| Netherlands | - | Fed. Rep. of Ger. | 1-2 | (July 7, Olympiastadion(mün)) |
The impressive statistics for the 1974 World Cup preliminary round showed 99 entries and over 200 qualifying matches for the first time, in the course of which a number of big name European teams were knocked out. The decline of Hungary continued, this time in a group which included Austria, Malta and Sweden. The Scandinavians were the team to come through after a hard-fought play-off against Austria in Gelsenkirchen.
In addition to Chile and defending champions Brazil, the representatives from South America were Argentina and double World Champions Uruguay, who edged out Colombia on goal difference. In the North and Central America zone, a sensation occurred: playing at home in Port-au-Prince, Haiti took full advantage of the moment and of Mexico's weakness, the usual CONCACAF winners having played five matches against Trinidad and Tobago, of which they lost one 4-0 and drew two others. A 1-0 win in the final match against the host country, who until that moment had not dropped a point, was of no avail.
In Africa, Zaire came through a marathon of nearly fifty matches and qualified as the first sub-Saharan team for the World Cup final round. There was also a premiere in the Asia/Oceania zone. Australia played two matches against both Iran and Korea Republic, coming out on top and earning Oceania its first-ever appearance in the World Cup.
In 1974 the world first met the Dutch “total football” side. A side brimming with players of great skill, none more than Johan Cruyff. In the final they met the host nation with their own superstar, Franz Beckenbauer. Germany ran out winners, but the Dutch side won many fans with their brand of passing football. The World-Cup in 74 was known as the rock and roll football, a lot of the players were having long hair and beard. They were rebellious and seemed laid back.
| Statistics : | |
| World Cup Champions: | Fed. Rep. of Ger. |
| Runners Up: | Netherlands |
| Highest Scoring Game: | Yugoslavia vs. Congo DR (Zaire) 9 - 0 (Group 2) |
| Total Goals Scored: | 97 |
| Av. Goals Per Match: | 2.55 |
| Top Scorer: | Grzegorz Lato, Poland - 7 Goals |
| Best Scorers in 1 game: | Andrzej Szarmach, Poland Dusan Bajevic, Yugoslavia - 3 Goals |
| Highest Attendance: | 83.168 (Fed. Rep. of Ger. - Chile, Group 1) |
| Total Attendance: | 1.768.152 |
| Average Attendance: | 46.530 |
| Debut Appearance: | Australia, German D. Rep., Congo DR (Zaire), Haiti |
| Stadiums Used: | Olympiastadion, Waldstadion, Parkstadion, Rheinstadion, Olympiastadion(mün), Volksparkstadion, Westfalenstadion, Niedersachsenstadion, Neckarstadion |