1974 FIFA World Cup — West Germany.
Updated June 20, 2026 · DynastyDaily Editorial · ● Live Last updated: 2026-06-21T02:18:50Z
Direct answer
The 1974 FIFA World Cup was hosted by West Germany (13 June – 7 July 1974) with 16 teams. Champion: West Germany. The final was West Germany 2–1 Netherlands at Olympiastadion, Munich. Top scorer: Grzegorz Lato (7).
The story of 1974
Total Football met German efficiency. Johan Cruyff's Netherlands scored inside two minutes before a German touch, but Beckenbauer's hosts recovered to win 2–1. The new FIFA World Cup Trophy was introduced after Brazil kept the old one.
Edition facts
| Host | West Germany |
| Dates | 13 June – 7 July 1974 |
| Teams | 16 |
| Format | Two group stages → final |
| Champion | West Germany |
| Runner-up | Netherlands |
| Final | West Germany 2–1 Netherlands |
| Final venue | Olympiastadion, Munich |
| Third place | Poland |
| Top scorer | Grzegorz Lato (7) |
| Best player (Golden Ball) | Johan Cruyff |
| Official mascot | Tip & Tap |
| Official ball | Telstar Durlast |
| Total attendance | 1,865,753 |
| Total goals | 97 |
Related
See the full finals history, the all-time statistics tables, and our top-20 player legends. For the current edition, the standings and World Cup 2026 hub are live.
Tables and ranking points refresh as matches finish. Standings · Match schedule · World Cup 2026
More World Cup categories
- → Players
- → Statistics
- → Teams
- → Player transfers
- → Compare
- → Standings
- → Referees
- → Match schedule
- → FIFA Power Rankings
- → Managers
- → Venues
- → Goalkeepers
- → Iconic matches
- → Penalty shootouts
- → World Cup
- → World Cup 2026 — Live