1978 FIFA World Cup final
Argentine captain Daniel Passarella raising the World Cup trophy
Event1978 FIFA World Cup
Argentina Netherlands
3 1
After extra time
Date25 June 1978
VenueEstadio Monumental, Buenos Aires
RefereeSergio Gonella (Italy)
Attendance71,483

The 1978 FIFA World Cup final was a football match played to determine the winner of the 1978 FIFA World Cup. The match was contested by hosts Argentina and the Netherlands, in the biggest stadium used in the tournament and in Argentina, the Estadio Monumental in the Argentine capital city of Buenos Aires. The match was won by the Argentine squad in extra time by a score of 3–1. Mario Kempes, who finished as the tournament's top scorer, was named the man of the match. The Netherlands lost their second World Cup final in a row, both times to the host nation, after losing to West Germany in 1974. This was also the second World Cup tournament in a row won by the host nation. It was the only World Cup final between 1950 and 2002 that did not feature Germany or Brazil.

Route to the final

Argentina Round Netherlands
Opponent Result First round Opponent Result
 Hungary 2–1 Match 1  Iran 3–0
 France 2–1 Match 2  Peru 0–0
 Italy 0–1 Match 3  Scotland 2–3
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Italy 330062+46
 Argentina 320143+14
 France 31025502
 Hungary 300338−50
 Final standing
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Peru 321072+55
 Netherlands 311153+23
 Scotland 311156−13
 Iran 301228−61
Opponent Result Second round Opponent Result
 Poland 2–0 Match 1  Austria 5–1
 Brazil 0–0 Match 2  West Germany 2–2
 Peru 6–0 Match 3  Italy 2–1
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Argentina 321080+85
 Brazil 321061+55
 Poland 310225−32
 Peru 3003010−100
 Final standing
Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts
 Netherlands 321094+55
 Italy 31112203
 West Germany 302145−12
 Austria 310248−42

Match

Summary

Mario Kempes scoring the first goal of the match

The start of the final was mired in controversy, as the Dutch accused the Argentines of using stalling tactics to delay the match, causing tension to build in front of a hostile Buenos Aires crowd. The host team eventually came out five minutes late after the audience was whipped into a frenzy. The Argentines also questioned the legality of a plaster cast on René van de Kerkhof's wrist, despite him having worn it in earlier games without objections, causing the Dutch to threaten to walk off the pitch; the Italian referee, Sergio Gonella, upheld the complaints and forced Van de Kerkhof to apply extra bandage.[1][2][3] In retaliation, the Netherlands team refused to attend the post-match ceremonies.[4]

The match itself saw a number of fouls, and a hostile atmosphere. Ticker tape and confetti in the stadium worked its way onto the pitch. Mario Kempes scored the first goal of the match, slotting under Jan Jongbloed from 12 yards out. The Netherlands almost equalised when Rob Rensenbrink latched onto to a headed pass from René van de Kerkhof, but the shot was kept out by the boot of Ubaldo Fillol. The Dutch eventually equalised when René van de Kerkhof's cross found substitute Dick Nanninga, who headed home the equaliser. The Dutch could have won the game in the final minutes, when Rensenbrink latched onto a long ball poking a shot past Fillol, but the shot bounced off the post, and the match went to extra time. Kempes netted the eventual winner in the 105th minute after running into the box, evading two Dutch sliding tackles as he did so. Kempes' shot was saved by Jongbloed and Kempes jumped to avoid him, but the ball bounced off of Jongbloed and hit Kempes twice, first in the knee, then in the foot, before bouncing off Jongbloed's head, all before Kempes had even landed. The ball bounced high in the air, and two Dutch defenders came rushing to clear the ball from the open goal. Although the goal was officially given to Kempes, the replay from behind the goal showed that the ball might have come off Wim Suurbier last.

Daniel Bertoni sealed the game in the second half of extra time after Kempes made a long run into the box, and was tackled by a Dutch defender. The ball ricocheted several times before landing at the feet of Bertoni, who had a clear sight of goal inside the box. Jongbloed was unsighted by the ricochet, and was thus out of position, allowing Bertoni to slot in easily.[5]

Details

Argentina 3–1 (a.e.t.) Netherlands
Kempes 38', 105'
Bertoni 115'		 Report Nanninga 82'
Attendance: 71,483

Argentina
Netherlands
GK5Ubaldo Fillol
RB15Jorge Olguín
CB7Luis Galván
CB19Daniel Passarella (c)
LB20Alberto Tarantini
DM6Américo Gallego
CM2Osvaldo ArdilesYellow card 40'downward-facing red arrow 66'
AM10Mario Kempes
RW4Daniel Bertoni
LW16Oscar Alberto Ortizdownward-facing red arrow 75'
CF14Leopoldo Luque
Substitutes:
MF1Norberto Alonso
GK3Héctor Baley
MF8Rubén Galván
MF9René Housemanupward-facing green arrow 75'
MF12Omar LarrosaYellow card 93'upward-facing green arrow 66'
Manager:
César Luis Menotti
GK8Jan Jongbloed
SW5Ruud Krol (c)Yellow card 15'
RB6Wim Jansendownward-facing red arrow 73'
CB22Ernie Brandts
LB2Jan PoortvlietYellow card 96'
RM13Johan Neeskens
CM9Arie Haan
LM11Willy van de Kerkhof
RF10René van de Kerkhof
CF16Johnny Repdownward-facing red arrow 58'
LF12Rob Rensenbrink
Substitutes:
DF4Adrie van Kraay
DF17Wim Rijsbergen
FW18Dick Nanningaupward-facing green arrow 58'
GK19Pim Doesburg
DF20Wim SuurbierYellow card 94'upward-facing green arrow 73'
Manager:
Austria Ernst Happel

Assistant referees
Ramón Barreto (Uruguay)
Erich Linemayr (Austria)

Match rules

  • 90 minutes
  • 30 minutes of extra time if scores level
  • Replay on 27 June if scores still level
  • Five substitutes named, maximum of two used

See also

References

  1. ↑ "2 goal Kempes sinks the Dutch". Glasgow Herald. 26 June 1978. p. 23. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  2. ↑ "Where are they now: Argentina 1978". Goal.com. 9 February 2009. Archived from the original on 21 February 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  3. ↑ "The story of the 1978 World Cup". BBC Sport. 18 May 2010. Archived from the original on 13 May 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2014.
  4. ↑ CNN/SI - World Cup France '98 - The Netherlands pay back controversial loss to Argentina - Saturday July 4, 1998 Archived February 10, 2002, at the Wayback Machine
  5. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "1978 WORLD CUP FINAL: Argentina 3-1 Netherlands". YouTube.
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