World Cup Argentina 1978
| Group 1 Results | ||||
| Italy | - | France | 2-1 | (June 2, Mar Del Plata) |
| Argentina | - | Hungary | 2-1 | (June 2, River Plate) |
| Italy | - | Hungary | 3-1 | (June 6, Mar Del Plata) |
| Argentina | - | France | 2-1 | (June 6, River Plate) |
| France | - | Hungary | 3-1 | (June 10, Mar Del Plata) |
| Italy | - | Argentina | 1-0 | (June 10, River Plate) |
| Group 1 Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Italy | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 6 |
| Argentina | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
| France | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 2 |
| Hungary | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 0 |
| Group 2 Results | ||||
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | - | Poland | 0-0 | (June 1, River Plate) |
| Tunisia | - | Mexico | 3-1 | (June 2, New Rosario) |
| Poland | - | Tunisia | 1-0 | (June 6, New Rosario) |
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | - | Mexico | 6-0 | (June 6, La Plata) |
| Poland | - | Mexico | 3-1 | (June 10, New Rosario) |
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | - | Tunisia | 0-0 | (June 10, La Plata) |
| Group 2 Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Poland | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 5 |
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| Tunisia | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Mexico | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 0 |
| Group 3 Results | ||||
| Austria | - | Spain | 2-1 | (June 3, Jose Amalfitani) |
| Sweden | - | Brazil | 1-1 | (June 3, Mar Del Plata) |
| Austria | - | Sweden | 1-0 | (June 7, Jose Amalfitani) |
| Brazil | - | Spain | 0-0 | (June 7, Mar Del Plata) |
| Spain | - | Sweden | 1-0 | (June 11, Jose Amalfitani) |
| Brazil | - | Austria | 1-0 | (June 11, Mar Del Plata) |
| Group 3 Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Austria | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 4 |
| Brazil | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| Spain | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Sweden | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| Group 4 Results | ||||
| Netherlands | - | Iran | 3-0 | (June 3, Mendoza) |
| Peru | - | Scotland | 3-1 | (June 3, La Plata) |
| Scotland | - | Iran | 1-1 | (June 7, La Plata) |
| Netherlands | - | Peru | 0-0 | (June 7, Mendoza) |
| Scotland | - | Netherlands | 3-2 | (June 11, Mendoza) |
| Peru | - | Iran | 4-1 | (June 11, La Plata) |
| Group 4 Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Peru | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 5 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 3 |
| Scotland | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
| Iran | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 1 |
| Group A Results | ||||
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | - | Italy | 0-0 | (June 14, River Plate) |
| Netherlands | - | Austria | 5-1 | (June 14, La Plata) |
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | - | Netherlands | 2-2 | (June 18, La Plata) |
| Italy | - | Austria | 1-0 | (June 18, River Plate) |
| Netherlands | - | Italy | 2-1 | (June 21, River Plate) |
| Austria | - | Fed. Rep. of Ger. | 3-2 | (June 21, La Plata) |
| Group A Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Netherlands | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 4 | 5 |
| Italy | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Fed. Rep. of Ger. | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 |
| Austria | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 2 |
| Group B Results | ||||
| Brazil | - | Peru | 3-0 | (June 14, Mendoza) |
| Argentina | - | Poland | 2-0 | (June 14, New Rosario) |
| Poland | - | Peru | 1-0 | (June 18, Mendoza) |
| Argentina | - | Brazil | 0-0 | (June 18, New Rosario) |
| Argentina | - | Peru | 6-0 | (June 21, New Rosario) |
| Brazil | - | Poland | 3-1 | (June 21, Mendoza) |
| Group B Standing | |||||||
| Team | GP | W | D | L | GS | GC | P |
| Argentina | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 5 |
| Brazil | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Poland | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 |
| Peru | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 0 |
| 3rd. / 4th. Placing | ||||
| Brazil |
- |
Italy |
2-1 |
(June 24, River Plate) |
| Final | ||||
| Argentina |
- |
Netherlands |
3-1 AET |
(June 25, River Plate) |
FIFA wanted to continue with alternating The World-Cup between Europe and South-America, but that proved difficult as fewer countries in South-America were equipped to host such a big tournament. The choice of Argentina was a crisis solution. They had the capacities to be hosts, but the economical and political situations were problems. Because of these issues it was important that this arrangement went well for Argentina. The tournament itself was not of high standard as stars as Beckenbauer had retired and Cruyff did not show up. England had not qualified and Brazil was rebuilding their side. Argentina won the championship as hosts.
Having reached the final in 1930, Argentina had to wait a while before winning the World Cup, which they eventually did on own soil in 1978. The great support for the home team helped carry them to victory over the Netherlands in the final, Cruyff having turned his back as he refused to travel to Argentina because of the political situation.
In Daniel Passarella, Osvaldo Ardiles and Mario Kempes, top scorer with six goals, they had outstanding players. They beat the Dutch 3-1 after extra time in the final.
| Statistics : | |
| World Cup Champions: | Argentina |
| Runners Up: | Netherlands |
| Highest Scoring Game: | Argentina vs. Peru 6 - 0 (Group B) Fed. Rep. of Ger. vs. Mexico 6 - 0 (Group 2) Netherlands vs. Austria 5 - 1 (Group A) |
| Total Goals Scored: | 102 |
| Av. Goals Per Match: | 2.68 |
| Top Scorer: | Mario Kempes, Argentina - 6 Goals |
| Best Scorers in 1 game: | Rob Rensenbrink, Netherlands Teofilo Cubillas, Peru - 3 Goals |
| Highest Attendance: | 71.712 (Italy - Argentina, Group 1) |
| Total Attendance: | 1.546.151 |
| Average Attendance: | 40.688 |
| Debut Appearance: | Iran, Tunisia |
| Stadiums Used: | Mar Del Plata, New Rosario, La Plata, River Plate, Jose Amalfitani, Mendoza |