Dutch Football History Options

[Funki]

Total Football, 1969-74

There had been warnings before, of course, such as in the 1966-67 European Cup, as it was then known, when a side from Amsterdam called AFC Ajax, hitherto largely unknown outside Holland, thrashed the formidable English champions Liverpool 5-1, and, against all Bill Shankly's loud predictions, held on for a 2-2 draw in the second leg.

But our story really begins in 1969, when Ajax reached the Final of the European Cup, defeating Nürnberg, Fenerbahce, Benfica and Spartak Trnava along the way. A team which included Piet Keizer, Wim Suurbier and Johan Cruyff (with apologies to our Dutch friends, I've use the anglicised spelling of his name throughout) played AC Milan in Madrid, and, although the 4-1 scoreline might imply they were comprehensively seen off, gave rather a better account of themselves than might have been expected, but their appearance on this stage was still seen as something of an intrusion, a one-off.

The Ajax team was: Gert Bals in goals; Suurbier, Velibor Vasovic, Barry Hulshoff and Theo van Duivenbode in defence; Henk Groot and Ton Pronk in midfield; and Sjaak Swart, Inge Danielson, Cruyff and Keizer in attack, with Ben Muller and Klaas Nuninga as subs. Rinus Michels was the coach of that side.

The following year, it was Ajax's greatest rivals, Sport Club Feyenoord of Rotterdam, who made the great breakthrough by beating Reykavik, AC Milan, Vorwärts Berlin and Legia Warsaw to reach the Final in Milan. Against all expectations, they overcame a very talented Celtic side 2-1 in extra time to give Dutch football its first European trophy. They were quite unlike any other team I'd seen before, not exactly Total Football yet, but rather they relied on possession football taken almost to the extreme, the ball moving rapidly from one player to another, in any direction, at all costs avoiding being caught with it, while the opposition became disheartened chasing the ball around, and a tight, almost stifling use of the offside trap.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picFeye1.jpg)
Feyenoord 1970.

Unusual tactics for the time, perceived as very defensive in outlook, and Celtic certainly weren't happy about them, but hugely effective. This method of play also demanded great fitness, an often overlooked virtue of Dutch football in the 1970s. Rinus Israël, Wim van Hanegem and Wim Jansen all played in this game, Israël even getting his picture on a stamp as a consequence.

The full Feyenoord team was: Eddy Pieters Graafland in goals; Piet Romeijn, Israël, Theo Laseroms and former Ajax man Van Duivenbode in defence; Franz Hasil, Jansen and Van Hanegem in midfield; Henk Wery, Ove Kindvall and Coen Moulijn in attack; plus Guus Haak as sub. The scorers were Israël and the Swedish international striker Kindvall. Ernst Happel was the Feyenoord coach.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/stamp.jpg)
Feyenoord legend Rinus Israël.

The Dutch international team of the time, coached by Georg Kessler, was nowhere near as successful as the club sides. With Suurbier, Israël, Jansen, Van Hanegem, Cruyff and Rob Rensenbrink (then of DWS Amsterdam) regulars in the side, they failed to qualify for the 1970 World Cup, losing out to a Bulgaria team who would hardly set Mexico alight.

[Google Bot]

[Funki]

Having reached the Semi-Finals of the Fairs Cup (later the UEFA Cup) in 1970, with a team that now featured Ruud Krol and Gerry Mühren, Ajax went one better in the European Cup the following year. While Feyenoord were reclaiming the Dutch league, Ajax beat Nendori Tirana, Basle, Celtic and Athletico Madrid, and found themselves playing Greek side Panathinaikos (coached by Hungarian legend Ferenc Puskas) in the European Cup Final at Wembley.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/ajax71a.jpg)
Keizer crosses to Van Dijk...

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/ajax71b.jpg)
...who heads in the opening goal of the 1971 European Cup Final.

The 2-0 victory was almost a stroll, Ajax's superiority in all the arts of the game quite manifest from the first whistle to the last, and people were beginning to sit up and notice something was going on. Their movement was bewildering, their skill on the ball astonishing, their tackling frightening. We were used to seeing Italian and Spanish teams dominating Europe, but the Dutch, having seemed to get there almost by stealth, were now at last being given the credit they deserved. British commentators were even learing to pronounce their name correctly (Ay-ax rather than Ey-jax) though liberties were still to be taken with Cruyff's name for many years to come.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picAjax1.jpg)
The Ajax European Cup winning team of 1971.
Back: Hulshoff, Stuy, Suurbier, Van Dijk, Mühren.
Front: Keizer, Swart, Rijnders, Vasovic, Cruyff, Neeskens.

The Ajax team in the Final was: Heinz Stuy in goals; Johan Neeskens, Vasovic, Hulshoff and Suurbier in defence; Nico Rijnders and Gerry Mühren in midfield; and Swart, Cruyff, Dick van Dijk and Keizer up front; with Horst Blankenburg and Arie Haan as substitutes. Van Dijk, from Keizer's cross, and Haan, with a deflected shot, were the goalscorers. Ruud Krol had featured in earlier rounds, but was injured for the Final, hence Neeskens at right-back and Suurbier at left-back. The Yugoslavian international Velibor Vasovic was the captain.

Michels was a remarkable coach by any standards, a stern disciplinarian by all accounts, and almost obsessed with physical fitness. Yet these qualities, when allied to the raw talent of the players at the club, were turning Ajax into not only the best team in Europe (to judge by results) but also the most thrilling to watch.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/Michels.jpg)
Rinus Michels.

Although Michels is very often given sole credit for the Total Football revolution at Ajax, the Ajax youth system played its part, and many in Holland pay tribute to the efforts of Vic Buckingham, who coached the side in the early 1960s.

And it should not go unmentioned that, when Michels left to go to Barcelona in 1971, the side actually improved quite dramatically; the best got better. In later years, the players would declare that the Romanian Stefán Kovács gave them more freedom than his predecessor, and the new outlook combined with the sense of discipline and high work-rate instilled by Michels to produce even greater things on the pitch.

With Kovács at the helm, Ajax cruised past Dynamo Dresden, Olympic Marseille, Arsenal and Benfica (Feyenoord's conquerers) on their way to the 1972 European Cup Final, a match held in Rotterdam as further evidence of the prominence now afforded the Dutch game, and overwhelmed Italian champions Inter with two goals from Cruyff, the first the result of uncharacteristic defensive errors, the second a more memorable header.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/ajax72a.jpg)
European Cup Final 1972 - Cruijff's first goal.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/ajax72b.jpg)
European Cup Final 1972 - Cruijff's second goal.

The 2-0 margin of victory scarcely represented Ajax's superiority, and, by now, the team's uniqueness was plain for all to see. The continued changes of position, the way they were all so comfortable in possession, the sheer look in their eyes. This was a team the like of which we had not seen before. Their triumph over the old, dull, tired-looking catenaccio of Inter seemed to offer confirmation that this new way of playing the game was about to sweep away the negativity of the 1960s once and for all.

The line-up was: Stuy; Suurbier, Blankenburg, Hulshoff and Krol; Haan, Neeskens and Gerry Mühren; Swart, Cruyff and Keizer. Van Dijk, Heinz Schilcher, Ruud Suurendonk and young striker Johnny Rep had played a part in earlier rounds. Piet Keizer was captain now, following the retirement of Vasovic.

Still it went unremarked that success at international level continued to elude the Dutch. Even with the likes of Krol, Hulshoff, Neeskens, Gerry Mühren and Keizer now added to the national squad, Yugoslavia had beaten them to the last eight of the 1972 European Championship. There would be changes for the qualification tournament for the next World Cup, not the least being the elevation of Cruyff to captain - he would also take over as captain of Ajax around this time.

[Funki]

Ajax's 1973 European Cup triumph was almost an anticlimax. CSKA Sofia, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid were all brushed aside en route to the inevitable Final. A single, early goal from Johnny Rep, heading in Blankenburg's cross, was all that was required to defeat Juventus in Belgrade, Ajax demonstrating the Dutch trait of doing just enough to win, while knowing they had plenty in reserve if it was needed. Once they were a goal in front, Ajax contented themselves with taking long-range shots at the Juve goal, and inventing new formations to play in. Hulshoff, fiercely bearded these days, regularly galloped up the field like a man possessed, the full-backs changed sides, overlapped, then changed sides and overlapped, while Neeskens was everywhere, tackling, passing, heading, shooting, as Ajax's domination of the midfield was close to total.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picAjax4.jpg)
European Cup Final 1973 - Rep's goal.

The only one who disappointed slightly was Cruyff, marked tightly and effectively, he dropped off ever deeper in a vain attempt to break free of marker Morini, and flitted in and out of the game, almost as if he felt the team could win without him.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picAjax3.jpg)
1973 - Cruijff (in Juventus shirt) presented with European Cup.

[Funki]

Winning the World Club Championship (against Independiente of Buenos Aires) and the inaugural European Super Cup (against Rangers) around this time for good measure, this was, perhaps, the all-time "classic" Ajax line-up: Stuy in goals; Suurbier, Blankenburg, Hulshoff and Krol in defence; Haan, Neeksens and Mühren in midfield; and Rep, Cruyff and Keizer up front. Stuy and the German Blankenburg were the only non-internationals in the team.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWorld.jpg)
Neeskens scores against Independiente in World Club Championship, September 1972.

Well, that's how their line-up was usually written, but once the game started it was far more complex than that. They also wore "squad" numbers, twenty years before the Premier League in England had the idea. Thus Suurbier wore 3, Blankenburg 12, Hulshoff 13 (4 in earlier years), Krol 5, Haan 15, Neeskens 7, Gerry Mühren 9, Rep 16, Keizer 11, Cruyff of course 14 (the 14 apparently stems from either his first winning a cup competition at that age or from coming on as sub one day wearing 14, depending on which story you believe), and other squad members Swart 8, Schilcher 2, and Gerry Mühren's brother Arnie 6.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picSuper.jpg)
Haan and Stuy attempt to lift the Super Cup.

However, all things in football are transitory, and the 1973-74 season saw something of a change in the balance of power. Cruyff became dissatisfied with his lot at Ajax, falling out with the club doctor over being forced to play when injured, being stripped of the captaincy in favour of Keizer in a bizarre election which may or may not have been a club tradition (stories vary even now), and probably a few other things as well. He duly left to join his old boss Michels at Barcelona, for a world record transfer fee. With a certain inevitability, he transformed the Catalan giants from a mid-table place to become Spanish champions, but, at Ajax, things had changed for the worse. With a new coach, George Knobel, and with just about the same side as the previous season except for Jan Mulder replacing Cruyff, they were eliminated from the European Cup by CSKA Sofia, and also surrendered the Dutch title to Feyenoord. CSKA in turn were beaten by German champions Bayern Munich, who went on the win the trophy, the first of three such successes. Ajax won the European Super Cup, wiping out AC Milan 6-0 in the second leg, but it was to be their last European trophy for many years.

[Funki]

In addition to the Dutch league, Feyenoord won the UEFA Cup in 1974, defeating Tottenham in the Final. The Feyenoord side for the first leg, in London, was: Eddy Treytel in goal; Wim Rijsbergen, Joop van Daele, Rinus Israël, and Harry Vos in defence; Wim Jansen, Theo de Jong and Wim van Hanegem in midfield; and Peter Ressel, Lex Schoenmaker and the Dane Jorgen Kristensen in attack. This game was drawn 2-2, Van Hanegem and De Jong scoring for the Dutch champions. For the second leg, in Rotterdam, Rijsbergen (still uncapped, although the World Cup was less than three weeks away) moved into midfield to replace Van Hanegem, the Yugoslavian Mladen Ramljak coming into the side at right-back. In a game marred by crowd violence more or less unprecedented on the continent, goals from Rijsbergen and Ressel gave Feyenoord a comfortable 2-0 win.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/fey1974.jpg)
Feyenoord team 1974.

All the Feyenoord midfield were to be key members of the 1974 World Cup squad, Jansen, De Jong and Van Hanegem. The right-back Rijsbergen and centre-back Israël were also to play in Germany, while goalkeeper Treytel and left-back Vos also made the squad as reserves. Vos had the unenviable task of waiting for Ruud Krol to have a bad game - unsurprisingly, he never actually played for Holland!

Feyenoord players of the early 1970s.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/feyvhn.jpg)
Wim Van Hanegem

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/feyisr.jpg)
Rinus Israël

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/feydej.jpg)
Theo de Jong

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/feytry.jpg)
Eddy Treytel

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/feyjan.jpg)
Wim Jansen

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/feyrij.jpg)
Wim Rijsbergen

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/feyvos.jpg)
Harry Vos

It was thus at something of a crossroads for the Dutch game that Michels was taken on to be the coach of the Holland side, taking over for the World Cup Finals from the man who'd got them there, Frantisek Fadrhonc, who, such was the spirit of the times, stayed on as his assistant. Out of deference to the job Fadrhonc had done, he retained the title of head coach ("Bondscoach" in Dutch), with Michels's nominal role being "Supervisor", but everyone knew who was in charge.

[Funki]

World Cup Team 1974

(IMG:http://img201.exs.cx/img201/671/picfinal12kg.jpg)

This extraordinary collection of talented footballers set the world on fire for a few brief weeks in the summer of 1974. They captured the imagination of a generation of fans in a way that no team, before or after, have matched. They played football in a way we hadn't seen before, with skill, strength, intelligence and attitude merged together into a mixture that was uniquely theirs. They didn't actually win the World Cup, heaven knows why, but they created a set of memories that have lasted a generation now, and will continue undimmed for a long while to come.

But the Dutchmen of Feyenoord and Ajax in the early 1970s, and the national side of 1974, looked like the people who lived next door. They had long hair, they slouched for the team photos, they made no attempt to pretend they were singing the national anthem. They were scruffy and untidy, in a deliberate sort of way. They argued among themselves, not violently but forcefully and passionately. They conducted press conferences in several languages, lucidly and without resorting to clichés about "taking every game as it comes".

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/Cruyff14.jpg)
The legendary Johan Cruijff

They had the greatest player in the world (Cruyff of course), several more talented strikers and midfield players, a load of defenders who did far more than defend, and a goalkeeper who just didn't look like a goalkeeper. They had their wives and girlfriends to stay at the team hotel. They wore ridiculous squad numbers. Their goal celebrations were so passionate they made you want to join in even if you were watching on television. They looked as if they wanted it

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/Krol12.jpg)
Ruud Krol

And then, there was that kit, the orange Adidas shirts with the three bands down the sleeve, white (sometimes black) shorts and orange socks. Distinctive, bright, very 1970s, it spoke about the team that wore it like no other kit could, and it would still look cool today.

[Funki]

World Cup 1974 Match Reports

Group 3, Saturday 15th June 1974 (18.00):

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagHoll.gif) Holland 2 - 0 Uruguay (IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagUru.gif)

Rep ('16) [Holland]
Rep ('86) [Holland]

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Teams

Holland:

----------------------------------- 8. Jongbloed ---------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 20. Suurbier --------- 17. Rijsbergen -------- 2. Haan --------- 12. Krol -----
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- 6. Jansen --------- 13. Neeskens --------- 3. Van Hanegem -------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------- 16. Rep ------------ 14. Cruyff ------------ 15. Rensenbrink -----

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Uruguay:

------------------------ 9. Morena ------------- 7. Cubilla ----------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- 10. Rocha ----- 5. Montero-Castillo ------- 8. Esparrago ---- 18. Mantegazza -
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 6. Pavoni ----------- 4. Forlán -------------- 3. Masnik --------- 2. Jaregui -
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------- 1. Mazurkiewicz ---------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Substitutes -
19 Milar for 7 Cubilla 68 mins
Unused Dutch Substitutes -
1 Geels 4 Van Ierssel 7 De Jong 9 Keizer 18 Schrijvers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cautioned - Mantegazza Forlán Masnik
Sent Off - Montero-Castillo

Referee - Károly Palotai (Hungary).
Linesmen - Kazakov (USSR), Rainea (Romania).
Venue - Lower Saxony Stadium, Hanover.
Attendance 53,700

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/hanover.jpg)
Lower Saxony Stadium, Hanover.

The opening games of the competition having been dull beyond endurance, it was on this warm, sunny day in Saxony, the 1974 World Cup started in earnest. Just seeing the teams walk onto the field, in bright sky blue and brighter orange, you kind of knew something special was about to happen.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/teamUru.jpg)
The Dutch line-up against Uruguay:
Neeskens, Krol, Van Hanegem, Jansen, Suurbier, Rep,
Rijsbergen, Rensenbrink, Haan, Jongbloed, Cruyff.


The British commentator (the worthy Barry Davies, I believe) said something like, "The Dutch have done well at club level, but their players are not getting any younger, and it has to be this time if they want to succeed at international level".

Uruguay, twice World Cup winners, and Semi-Finalists in 1970, were strong, physical, got men behind the ball in great numbers, and tackled as if their lives depended on it.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picUru9.jpg)
Neeskens on attack.

Their team included the celebrated goalkeeper Ladislao Mazurkiewicz, often held to be one of the greatest in that position in the history of the world game, and in former captain Pedro Rocha and striker Luis Cubilla they retained two players who had played with distinction in the World Cup as long ago as 1962. Midfield players Julio Montero-Castillo and Victor Esparrago had also been part of the 1970 squad, when they had narrowly lost a memorable Semi-Final to the unstoppable Brazil team of that year, so they were by no means short of experience. Nor was talent an issue: in Fernando Morena, they had one of the greatest forwards in the world, or so we were told: there was to be little evidence of his prowess during this game.

The 1974 team had scraped through qualification on goal difference at the expense of Columbia, and had already caused outrage around the world before the tournament started by their brutal treatment of World Cup innocents Australia in what was supposed to have been a friendly. Like so many other international sides of their day, they seemed paralysed by the fear of losing, and this combination of harsh tackling and negative tactics was to win them few friends. There was also a certain amount of "history" on this game: in 1971, European Champions Ajax had refused to take part in the so-called World Club Championship against Uruguay's Nacional, for whom several of today's team played, a decision made all the more undiplomatic by their readiness to take on the Argentinians of Independiente the following year (though Ajax had declined an encore of that encounter in 1973).

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picUru8.jpg)
Suurbier and Rep take on the Uruguay defence.

The Dutch were like a breath of fresh air. Individually, they had by far the superior players, their team spirit was stronger, their organisation much sounder, and, above all, they were much, much fitter than their opponents. They took free-kicks quickly (and did they get a lot of free-kicks!), they executed "turns" at high speed against bemused opponents who could do nothing except try and tackle them from behind, and they generally gave the impression they were enjoying themselves.

Their defending was casual going on reckless at times, however, and their reliance on an offside trap occasionally desperately worrying, but Jongbloed's exploits behind the defence made up for any lapses by Rijsbergen and Haan, and added greatly to the entertainment value. By the end of the game, a Uruguay side who had been mentioned as contenders for the tournament themselves were pretty much humiliated as well as roundly beaten

Right from the start, the game was played almost entirely at one end, and, also right from the start, Uruguay served notice of how they intended to match the Dutch threat. Suurbier had the first shot at goal, but his effort was ruled out for a handball offence. Shortly after, the dangerous Neeskens was kicked full in the head by Pablo Forlán out on the left wing, and took a long time getting back to his feet. In fact, Neeskens, even more than Cruyff, was to be singled out for some shocking treatment in this match and throughout the tournament.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picUru5.jpg)
Cruijff as ever in the middle of the action.

The first goal arrived after a quarter of an hour. Suurbier, involved in just about every dangerous move, went overlapping down the right, and was fed by Cruyff, who as ever drew most of the defence towards himself before releasing the ball. The Uruguayans might have thought they'd done their job by forcing the Dutch right-back onto his left foot, but this was no problem for Suurbier, who crossed accurately for Rep to head home at the near post. Rep, though a very good header of the ball, was no match in height for the Uruguayans he had outjumped, but Suurbier's composed cross into the space between the defenders had made him the favourite.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picuru1.jpg)
Rep's opening goal.

Mantegazza's was the first name in the notebook, but he continued fouling with apparent impunity right to the final whistle, and Ricardo Pavoni's more serious off-the-ball foul on Jansen did not result in a caution. The Dutch were irresistible, and should surely have scored a bucketload. Their movement was the key, making space when they had the ball, denying space to the opposition as soon as they lost it, and making tackles look easy by having so many players around the ball.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picUru7.jpg)
Rensenbrink in action against Uruguay.

Van Hanegem's free-kick whistled narrowly past the post with Mazurkiewicz a spectator, then Krol burst into the penalty area on his own, space opening around him as defenders chased shadows, but he missed the target. Cruyff created an opportunity for Rep to cross, Rensenbrink headed the ball to Suurbier, and another chance went wide. A quick free-kick led to Cruyff releasing Rensenbrink up the middle, but the Dutch striker wanted too long, and was dispossessed. Rijsbergen, making his first start as an international, decided to join in the game, won the ball and passed to Neeskens, who in turn found Cruyff, whose rasping shot dipped just over the bar.

The second half was played in rather cooler conditions, but the pattern of the game changed little. Forlán was yellow carded for a whack at Krol, following a succession of nasty fouls as Uruguay tried to fight their way back the only way they knew; this was followed by an over the top challenge on Van Hanegem. Cruyff fed the ball to Neeskens in the penalty area, and his low cross towards Rep was almost bundled into his own net by Forlán, Mazurkiewicz just getting down to save. A move involving Suurbier and Jansen led to another shot over the bar, from Neeskens. There was one moment of pure comedy as the Dutch defence pushed out en masse for offside, and Rocha was tackled by almost the entire Dutch team. Jansen put Cruyff through on the left wing: again the excellent Mazurkiewicz denied him.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picUru6.jpg)
Cruijff challenges for the ball.

[Funki]

... continued

Uruguay, feeling that just maybe it was to be their lucky day, replaced Cubilla with Denis Millar, another forward, but were soon to allow their slim chance of saving the game to slip away through their own indiscipline. The captain, Juan Masnik, was cautioned for fouling Neeskens and "accidentally" stepping on the prone Dutchman as he walked away, an isolated moment of nastiness from the man who had held the defence together for much of the contest. Then the midfield strongman Montero-Castillo was sent off for putting his studs into Rensenbrink's foot after the ball had gone, by no means the worst foul of the day, but one too many for a referee who had given the game every chance.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picUru4.jpg)
Neeskens at full stretch to get a shot in.

Yet still Holland couldn't make the game safe, while Michels, a coach never afraid to change a team when the need arose, resisted the temptation to bring on either of the two strikers he had on the bench, Keizer and Geels. Rep crossed from the right, Van Hanegem and Neeskens set up Rensenbrink, but another effort went over the bar. Cruyff executed one of his trademark "turns" on Baudilio Jaregui, and ran at the defence, but Suurbier's shot was saved. Suurbier in turn crossed for Cruyff, but he fouled a defender, and missed the goals anyway. Krol lobbed the ball through for Cruyff, who this time was penalised for a dangerously high foot as he tried to bring the ball down, and was knocked to the ground by Mazurkiewicz for his trouble. A Dutch free-kick on the right led to Jansen hitting the post, and Rensenbrink narrowly failing to connect effectively with the rebound, Cruyff following in on the goalkeeper for good measure.

With only a few minutes left, Holland finally scored the crucial second goal, and it was a goal which epitomised the way the Dutch played. Rep, in his own half, intercepted a throw-out from the goalkeeper, passed it tidily to Suurbier and strolled forward. The ball found its way to Van Hanegem and then out to Rensenbrink on the left wing. A couple of twists and turns, and then it went back inside, to Rep, who had found his way unmarked into the heart of the Uruguayan defence, and the sidefooted finish was simplicity itself.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picuru11.jpg)
Rep's second goal...

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picuru13.jpg)
... Van Hanegem follows up.

Holland might have scored more even then. Neeskens crossed from the right and Cruyff flicked the ball on, but the angle was too acute. Cruyff set off an a solo run from very deep, but the final backheeled pass to Rep was perhaps misjudged, or maybe Rep was back on his heels. Finally, Neeskens was presented with a chance, but could muster no power in his shot, and the game ended 2-0.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picUru3.jpg)
Cruijff and Rensenbrink behind enemy lines.

Holland had been little short of brilliant all over the field (though they would perhaps need to work a bit on their finishing), while Uruguay had got exactly what their negative approach deserved. A World Cup which had started off as dullness itself had suddenly come to life. The neutral supporter had a team to follow.

[Funki]

World Cup 1974 Match Reports

Group 3, Wednesday 19th June 1974 (19.30):

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagHoll.gif) Holland 0 - 0 Sweden (IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagSwed.gif)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teams

Holland:

----------------------------------- 8. Jongbloed ---------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 20. Suurbier --------- 17. Rijsbergen -------- 2. Haan --------- 12. Krol -----
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- 6. Jansen --------- 13. Neeskens --------- 3. Van Hanegem -------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- 16. Rep ------------ 14. Cruyff -------------- 9. Keizer ---------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweden:

----------------------- 10. Edström ---------- 11. Sandberg -----------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 7. Bo Larsson --------- 6. Grahn ---------- 14. Tapper ------- 16. Ejderstedt --
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 5. Andersson ------- 3. Karlsson ------------ 4. Nordqvist --------- 2. Olsson -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------- 1. Hellström ----------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Substitutes -
21 Persson for 14 Tapper 61 mins
7 De Jong for 3 Van Hanegem 73 mins
13 Grip for 2 Olsson 76 mins
Unused Dutch Substitutes -
1 Geels 5 Israël 15 Rensenbrink 18 Schrijvers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cautioned - Nordqvist Persson Rep Andersson Grahn

Referee - Werner Winsemann (Canada).
Linesmen - Tschenscher (W.Germany), Thomas (Wales).
Venue - Westphalia Stadium, Dortmund.
Attendance 53,700.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/dortmund.jpg)
Westphalia Stadium, Dortmund.

This match hasn't gone down in history as one of the great games of the World Cup (in fact, it is most remembered for one isolated flash of skill from Cruyff), but it did have its moments. The Dutch, attacking cleverly when they could but being forced to rely on their defence far more than in the preceding game, were not as inspired as they had been against Uruguay, and Sweden, though they had their chances, were not quite adventurous enough to beat them. With Sweden having drawn their opening match against Bulgaria, the draw today probably suited both teams in the grander scheme of things.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/teamSwed.jpg)
Line-up against Sweden.
Cruyff, Jongbloed, Haan, Keizer, Rijsbergen, Rep,
Suurbier, Jansen, Van Hanegem, Krol, Neeskens.


Sweden were in their blue and white change kit, while the Dutch wore black shorts. Although Holland are more widely remembered as wearing orange and white in 1974, in fact their policy was to wear either black or white shorts depending on the opposition's colours and irrespective of who was at home; as it turned out, they wore white shorts in five out of the seven matches they played in this World Cup.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picSwed5.jpg)
Keizer determined to enjoy his last international.

Piet Keizer was preferred to Rob Rensenbrink for this game, the only change Michels made in his starting line-up for the entire tournament. It was not a particularly distinguished performance by the Ajax captain, now rather noticeably past his best at the highest level, still a very effective forward, but not quite attuned to the way Michels wanted the 1974 team to play, maybe overly inclined to hug the left wing position, which cramped the team's fluid style a bit.


For Keizer, this was to be the last game of a very impressive international career. He has gone on record claiming Michels held some sort of grudge against him, going back to his Ajax days when Keizer's influence in the dressing-room was rumoured to be one of the factors in the coach's departure. And the fact that he had been the winner in the election which deposed Cruyff as Ajax captain at the start of the 1973-74 season, innocent party though he may have been, was probably not forgotten by his current international captain. From now on, Rensenbrink would increasingly become one of the dominant players in this multi-talented team, not exactly a prolific goalscorer but a hard worker for the team's cause and one who understood perfectly the ethic of this unique side.

Holland clearly had a problem with the tall Swedish side, most notably the giant Ralf Edström, far too big for Rijsbergen to handle. Early in the match, a cross came to the Swedish danger man, as the fragile Dutch offside trap was broken, and Jongbloed was forced to punch clear. From the resultant corner, a long shot from Ove Grahn was well saved. At the other end, the Dutch began to assert themselves. Cruyff crossed from the right, for Neeskens to head over the bar, then Keizer and Cruyff combined, as in days of old, and Neeskens only just failed to connect with the low cross. Van Hanegem shot wide when it seemed easier to score, and Krol's long ball to Cruyff forced a good save out of goalkeeper Ronnie Hellström. Sweden hadn't dropped out of contention either, a long move down their left leading to Roland Sandberg blasting over. Meanwhile, Cruyff chipped the ball through to Neeskens, who volleyed wide in spectacular style, and Krol and Cruyff moved the ball down the right, the cross to Van Hanegem being headed clear. Rijsbergen was still having difficulty with Edström, and when the two collided with elbows flailing the referee awarded a free-kick to Sweden: if it was a foul by the Dutch defender, it was an evil one indeed, but the video evidence is not conclusive. The kick drew another great save from Jongbloed, and Inge Ejderstedt missed a good chance soon after.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picswed6.jpg)
Johnny Rep against Sweden.

The most notable feature of the game was the legendary "turn" by Cruyff, mesmerising the Swedish right-back Gunnar Olsson. Receiving the ball just outside the Swedish area, his control at first appeared to have let him down. Facing away from goal, he looked as if he was about to try and pass the defender on his left, going back away from the goal. But then, with the same right foot that appeared about to knock the ball backwards, he propelled the ball the other way, and, incredibly, swivelled his entire body in the same direction and took off to the luckless Olsson's right, towards the Swedish goal-line. Nothing came of the move (it was that sort of game), but the "Cruyff Turn" has been shown on television in this country for over two decades now, and we never get tired of seeing it. Anybody else trying this would have fallen over.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picswed7.jpg)
Cruijff leaves a Swedish defender on his backside, again.

Cruyff hadn't finished tormenting the Swedes down the left, and his low cross was sent over the bar by Rep. Neeskens ran from the deep, but his effort went high too. Keizer sent an inspired early ball to Cruyff, who was taken out by Björn Nordqvist, to earn the first caution of the day. In a later era, the card would have been red, not yellow. Right on half-time, Cruyff was shepherded out to the left, but broke free of his markers and cut inside, but the referee, generally quite impressive, erred badly by calling play back for a free-kick to Holland at the edge of the penalty area, when a propitious use of the advantage rule would have left Cruyff with the ball at his feet running into the box. The first half had been good entertainment, but the game needed a goal.


The second period began with a flourish from Sweden, Ejderstedt shooting low and hard from the right after a corner, and Jongbloed having to get his jersey dirty. Cruyff, free on the left again, made a chance for Krol, whose shot flashed across the goal, and Suurbier's deep ball to Krol was knocked back for Rep to drill what would have been an unstoppable shot from distance: it went high and wide. Neeskens ran through and set up Cruyff, but the shot was straight at Hellström. Next, Cruyff was crudely taken out by Bo Larsson on the edge of the box, and Van Hanegem's resultant free-kick was blazed over the bar. A thrilling move involving more or less the entire Dutch team broke down when Keizer was bizarrely adjudged to have committed a foul just outside the penalty area. Another right-wing move by Cruyff resulted in a fine downward header from Van Hanegem, but the ball was cleared off the Swedish line with the goalkeeper beaten.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picSwed1.jpg)
Jongbloed called into action.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picSwed2.jpg)
Krol makes a friend.

[Funki]

... continued.

At this point, Sweden replaced the anonymous Steffan Tapper with Orjan Persson, a far stronger player defensively, as they appeared to have decided to settle for the draw. Rep's run down the right led to a chance for Keizer, but the wild swing he produced was just about the worst effort of the entire World Cup, going out for a throw-in further from goals than from where Rep had passed to him! Of course, the game was not without its moments of humour, and a through ball to an unmarked Edström was blown for offside, but the Swedish striker pretended not to hear the whistle, and dribbled around the Dutch penalty area with Jongbloed (who, it appeared, had genuinely not heard the referee blow) in diligent pursuit, snapping at his ankles all the way.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picswe8.jpg)
Cruijff goes down challenged by Larsson and Nordqvist.

The action at the Swedish end was far more serious, Hellström saving bravely at Van Hanegem's feet and Van Hanegem sending Rep through, to be denied by a combination of Persson and Hellström. Persson was soon to be cautioned, however, for a combine harvester of a foul on Van Hanegem, Krol's free-kick sailing majestically past the post. Rep then found himself in trouble with the referee, cautioned for pulling down Björn Andersson as the left-back ran past him. It seemed at first glance a very harsh booking, though Rep's innocent looks sometimes belied a mean streak to compare with many defenders in the competition, and this referee made few mistakes. Holland brought on Theo de Jong for Van Hanegem, who must have been looking tired, as he was probably Holland's most influential player in this game. Although Rijsbergen was still troubled by Edström, Michels resisted the temptation to replace him with Israël, a more orthodox central defender, back on the substitutes' bench this evening. Sweden in turn brought on Roland Grip for the struggling Olsson. Andersson, clearly well put out by Rep's foul on him, was cautioned for dumping a Dutch player into the advert hoardings: again, though, Hellström dealt with the free-kick cleanly, and the contest appeared to be petering out into a dignified but disappointing stalemate.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picSwed3.jpg)
Neeskens and Van Hanegem go for the header.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picSwed4.jpg)
Cruijff in the thick of it again.

Sweden had a few moments of inspiration towards the end, Edström heading a long free-kick down to Grahn and he knocking on to Sandberg, but poor control gave the Dutch defence a chance to scramble the ball away, even if the clearances were a bit undignified. Another long free-kick found Edström on the loose, Suurbier hacking the ball off the line. Grahn became the final entry in the referee's notebook, mercilessly chopping Neeskens as he ran down the left wing. Cruyff, increasingly taking out his frustrations on the referee, complained long and loud when he was denied a penalty on being bundled over in the box, yet the referee was right again: it was in fact Keizer who had "fouled" him!

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picswe9.jpg)
Krol tries to find a way through.

The Dutch had a succession of shots charged down in the last few minutes, but, in all honesty, their attack had been relatively dysfunctional, even though it comprised the Ajax front three who had won the European Cup a year ago. The press reports of this period were unanimous that the team needed to score more goals if they were to become serious contenders, and it's hard to dispute this analysis. If Holland's overall play had been far stronger, Sweden had perhaps found themselves with marginally the better chances to win the game, so a draw was just about a fair result. Needing a result against Uruguay to progress, Sweden duly overwhelmed the South Americans, and went on to give West Germany a bit of a surprise in the second phase, further underlining just how good a team they were in 1974.

The day after this game, Johan Neeskens signed for Barcelona, the club of his international manager Michels of course, another body blow to the Ajax team, and the kind of situation that could have led to insoluble problems among the squad. It is a lasting tribute to the players' professionalism, and Michels's leadership, that the team continued to get better rather than fade away into jealousy and acrimony.

[Funki]

World Cup 1974 Match Reports

Group 3, Sunday 23rd June 1974 (16.00):

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagHoll.gif) Holland 4 - 1 Bulgaria (IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagBulg.gif)

Neeskens ('8) [Holland] - Penalty.
Neeskens ('45) [Holland] - Penalty.
Rep ('71) [Holland]
Krol ('78) [Holland] - OG
De Jong ('88) [Holland]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teams

Holland:

----------------------------------- 8. Jongbloed ---------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 20. Suurbier --------- 17. Rijsbergen -------- 2. Haan --------- 12. Krol -----
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- 6. Jansen --------- 13. Neeskens --------- 3. Van Hanegem -------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- 16. Rep ------------ 14. Cruyff ---------- 15. Rensenbrink ------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bulgaria:

----------------------- 15. Panov ------------ 7. Voinov -------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------- 11. Denev ----- 10. Stoyanov -------- 8. Bonev ---------- 6. Penev ------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------- 5. Kolev ----- 4. Velitchkov ------ 19. Ivkov --- 18. Zonio Vassilev ---
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------ 21. Staikov ---------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Substitutes -
9 Mikhailov for 10 Stoyanov 46 mins
5 Israël for 3 Van Hanegem 46 mins
20 Borisov for 15 Panov 57 mins
7 De Jong for 13 Neeskens 78 mins
Unused Dutch Substitutes -
9 Keizer 11 Willy van de Kerkhof 18 Schrijvers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cautioned - Jansen Van Hanegem Cruyff Denev

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Referee - Tony Boskovic (Australia).
Linesmen - Eschweiler (W.Germany), Biwerski (W.Germany).
Venue - Westphalia Stadium, Dortmund.
Attendance 52,100.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/dortmund2.jpg)
Westphalia Stadium, Dortmund.


A win would have sufficed to take Bulgaria into the second phase, and a draw would have given them a chance depending on the Sweden-Uruguay result, but it was quickly obvious that, barring a small miracle, they would be going home as soon as the game was over.

The game was not without its irony. Dimitar Penev and Christo Bonev had been in the Bulgarian side which had qualified for the 1970 World Cup at Holland's expense, and four of the current Bulgarians (Zonio Vassilev, Bozhil Kolev, Penev and Georgi Denev) had been in the CSKA Sofia side which had ended Ajax's long, legendary unbeaten run in the European Cup some seven months ago: Suurbier, Krol, Haan, Neeskens and Rep were all intent on revenge.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/teamBulg.jpg)
Line-up against Bulgaria.
Cruyff, Jongbloed, Haan, Rensenbrink, Rijsbergen, Rep, Suurbier, Jansen, Van Hanegem, Krol, Neeskens.

Needing only a draw themselves to qualify for the next phase, Holland turned the intensity up a couple of notches, and, after a somewhat shaky first half, ended up overwhelming a Bulgarian side who, even more than Uruguay before them, were ultimately reduced to chasing shadows around the pitch.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picBulg.jpg)
Would anybody notice if we swapped shirts now?

Among the more vexing innovations brought in by FIFA for this World Cup was an irrational insistence on teams wearing their change strips for no good reason, and whoever decided Bulgaria would forsake their white shirts and play in red for this game must have regretted it the minute the teams took the field. Even the usual, hollow explanation about third-world viewers and black-and-white television sets would hold no water on this one. Holland's black shorts were the only distinguishing feature between the teams, and a Sunday League referee in Scarborough would have thought twice about letting the game go ahead.

The game opened in a frenzy. In the first minute, Neeskens served notice of Holland's intent by blasting a shot from distance, calling Bulgarian goalkeeper Stefan Staikov into action for the first, but by no means last, time. At the other end, a mistake by Haan required Jongbloed to make a quick foray off his line to retrieve the situation. Rensenbrink set Cruyff away down the left, to be bundled over the touchline by Vassilev, Cruyff's own resultant free-kick demanding a nervous punch to safety from Staikov.

For all Holland's first-half superiority, they would only manage a couple of goals from the penalty spot to show for their efforts. The first came when Cruyff cut into the area from the left along the goal-line and was rashly brought down from behind by Vassilev, the dive a little theatrical but the foul quite blatant if ill-advised. Although the spot-kick had to be taken twice, the referee apparently spotting encroachment by Rep, Neeskens's nerve didn't fail him.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picbulg8.jpg)
Neeskens's nerve not failing him.

Bulgaria tried to rally, and Bonev broke into the box, to be tackled by Jansen, but Holland were having far the better of it. Cruyff ran unchecked through the middle and passed to Neeskens, who hit the post, and Van Hanegem sent a wicked long ball to Rep in a dangerous position, the Dutch striker only just failing to control ball and give himself an easy chance. Rep's high cross from the right was headed by Neeskens, cleared urgently by a defender, and Rijsbergen sent Rensenbrink away from the Bulgarian defence, only for his shot to flash across the goal and past the post.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picBulg4.jpg)
Neeskens and ...

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picBulg5.jpg)
... Rep in action against Bulgaria.

The Bulgarians were not here to be beaten, though, and did their best to make a game of it. Boitcho Velithchkov retaliated by sending the dangerous Denev down the Bulgarian left, though he looked suspiciously offside, and Jongbloed saved rather awkwardly. Then a shot by Bonev hit the bar, while Jongbloed was apparently waving at a friend he'd spotted in the crowd at the far end of the ground. Denev, again, found himself clear on the left, and set up a chance for Pavel Panov, which Jongbloed saved a bit more assuredly, but the Dutch were now convinced the linesman wasn't doing his job properly, and Van Hanegem conceded a free-kick in a dangerous position, and a caution, for speaking out of turn to the referee. Cruyff was also booked, for not retreating ten yards, and the kick was wasted.

Getting a bit rattled now, the Dutch tackling became fiercer, as they began to battle their way out of a relatively tricky spell: the game should have been safe by this point, but the lead was still only a precarious 1-0, and tempers were becoming a bit frayed on both sides. Van Hanegem made for Cruyff a shooting chance, but the save was easy for Staikov, and Krol's cross towards Jansen ended up with the Bulgarian goalkeeper rolling around in agony at the Dutchman's feet, but no action was taken by a generally severe referee, and it's hard to see how Jansen could have hurt him that much, even if he had made contact. It all added to the tension. A snap shot by Panov whistled over the Dutch bar, a further reminder that, however great Holland's territorial supremacy, the contest was far from over.

On the stroke of half-time, the second penalty was awarded when Jansen was played clean through on goal by Cruyff and Rensenbrink in the inside-right channel, the foul, committed by Velitchkov, more clear-cut this time, though the Bulgarians argued. The referee, beginning to have trouble keeping order, took out the yellow card, but didn't seem to wave it at any specific player. Neeskens blasted the penalty into the roof of the net, and Holland's lead was 2-0.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picBulg2.jpg)
Cruijff and Rep mount another Holland attack.

[Funki]

... continued.

After the break, the tough-tackling, dependable Feyenoord defender Rinus Israël replaced Van Hanegem, with Rijsbergen moving forward to give the Dutch midfield a more prickly look. Holland were now rampant, and could have had many more goals in this period. Suurbier's chipped cross from the right was met by Jansen, but the header went wide, then Cruyff's floated cross from the left was met right-footed but off-balance by Rep, and again the chance went begging. Another Cruyff-Rep combination led to Rep firing a powerful volley, with Staikov actually diving the wrong way, but the shot missed the target. Even Suurbier had a shot saved.

The busy Bulgarian goalkeeper was (very harshly) penalised for taking more than four steps when catching a Jansen cross, Krol's drive from the free-kick being deflected to safety. Bulgaria were getting a bit desperate now, and substitute Atanas Mikhailov took a whack at Jongbloed when the referee had already blown for offside, just as the loudspeaker was announcing his name to the crowd, although he'd actually come on about 10 minutes before: they also brought on Krassimir Borisov, but neither sub made much impact on the game. Jansen, released somewhat from his defensive duties since the advent of Rijsbergen in midfield, played an inspired pass to Rensenbrink, who rounded the goalkeeper but couldn't keep control of the ball, and ended up hitting the post, a truly astonishing miss. Undeterred, Rensenbrink, his movement baffling the defence, hit another shot across the goal from some distance, then was taken out shamelessly by Vassilev, as Bulgarian frustration began to surface. Rijsbergen, a very decent midfield player on this showing, combined with Jansen down the left, and the excellent cross found Rensenbrink again unmarked, but his header was wide. By way of a reminder that there were two sides in the game, Voin Voinov broke the Dutch offside trap, only to be thwarted by a superb one-handed save by the grounded Jongbloed: maybe the Dutch would yet have cause to regret their profligacy in front of goals?

A darting run from his own half by Cruyff brought another fine save out of Staikov. When Mikhailov was tackled by the sturdy Israël in the penalty area, the Bulgarians demanded a penalty, but the well-placed referee turned them down, and cautioned Denev for his voluble dissent. A brilliant dribble by Neeskens culminated in a cross to Rensenbrink, which the defence cleared with some difficulty. Cruyff and Vassilev, at loggerheads for much of the game, were involved in a rather unseemly flare-up, both players going down as if kicked by the other, but the referee, who would have needed the wisdom of Solomon to sort out who'd done what to whom and in what order, chose to take no action: Cruyff, already cautioned, might have considered himself a bit lucky.

Bulgaria were finally undone when the third goal arrived. Rep scored with a fierce, instinctive volley after Cruyff's spinning free-kick from the right had been tamely headed in his direction by Vassilev, who had been unable to read the flight of the ball. Soon after, Rensenbrink worked the ball from the left to Cruyff, who swung his foot almost casually, but Staikov was at full stretch to save it under the bar. A break from Rep appeared to have ended when he was crowded out by the defence, but Suurbier followed up to good effect, and had another strong shot blocked by a goalkeeper who now stood between his team and a rout.

But just as Holland's manifest superiority looked as if it was at last beginning to tell on weary opponents, the Bulgarians were thrown a lifeline. Krol conceded an own-goal as Denev attacked down the left, winning the race to the ball against forwards Voinov and Bonev, but only managing to place the ball past the stranded Jongbloed. We could all have done without the sarcastic pat on the back from Voinov, a player hardly qualified to be on the same pitch as Krol. This was of course the first goal Holland had conceded in the 1974 World Cup.

At this point, the Dutch replaced Neeskens with Theo de Jong, the powerfully-built Feyenoord midfield player, but their superiority was still considerable. A long, looping cross from Cruyff on the left was met by a Rep header, and saved by Staikov, while at the other end Jongbloed made a fine double save from first Denev then Mikhailov. Cruyff set up a shot from Rijsbergen, the new playmaker, which Staikov, yet again, parried, but the alert Rensenbrink pulled the ball back for De Jong, who, incredibly, missed what was virtually an open goal. Rensenbrink then set about taking on the entire Bulgarian defence, and it took a last-ditch tackle to stop him.

The best goal was the last, when Krol found Cruyff almost loitering out on the left wing. The Dutch skipper held the play up with an assuredness that, it might have seemed, bordered on laziness, but we all knew he was only waiting for the right moment to unleash the cross. Finally, it was De Jong who caught on to what was required, and darted stealthily behind the static defence. The ball was delivered, inch-perfect of course, before a Bulgarian could move, for the Dutch substitute to head home unopposed a truly classic goal and claim his own place in World Cup history.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picbulg6.jpg)
De Jong heads in the fourth goal for Holland...

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picbulg7.jpg)
.. and earns congratulations from Krol.
(note Cruijff nonchalantly turning away in the background)

Rep had one more chance to stretch the winning margin, bursting through on his own, but the left-footed shot hit the side netting, as the referee blew for full-time.

With a few alarms along the way, Holland had achieved a splendid result, and ended their first phase campaign in some style, even if the margin of victory did scant justice to the extent of their supremacy. They qualified as Group winners ahead of Sweden, who clinched a spot in the last eight by beating Uruguay.

[Funki]

World Cup 1974 Match Reports

Group A, Wednesday 26th June 1974 (19.30):

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagHoll.gif) Holland 4 - 0 Argentina (IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagArg.gif)

Cruijff ('12) [Holland]
Krol ('25) [Holland]
Rep ('73) [Holland]
Cruijff ('88) [Holland]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teams

Holland:

----------------------------------- 8. Jongbloed ---------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 20. Suurbier --------- 17. Rijsbergen -------- 2. Haan --------- 12. Krol -----
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- 6. Jansen --------- 13. Neeskens --------- 3. Van Hanegem -------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- 16. Rep ------------ 14. Cruyff ---------- 15. Rensenbrink ------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Argentina:

----------------------- 2. Ayala ----------- 22. Yazalde -------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- 11. Houseman ----- 17. Squeo ------------ 10. Heredia -------- 4. Balbuena ---
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------- 16. Sa ----- 18. Telch ------------ 14. Perfumo --------- 20. Wolff ----
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------- 1. Carnevali ------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Substitutes -
9 Glaria for 20 Wolff 46 mins
13 Kempes for 11 Houseman 65 mins
5 Israël for 20 Suurbier 85 mins
Unused Dutch Substitutes -
7 De Jong 9 Keizer 11 Willy van de Kerkhof 18 Schrijvers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cautioned - Neeskens Perfumo Suurbier

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Referee - Bob Davidson (Scotland).
Linesmen - Tschenscher (W.Germany), Kazakov (USSR).
Venue - Park Stadium, Gelsenkirchen.
Attendance 55,000.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/gelsenkirchen.jpg)
Park Stadium, Gelsenkirchen.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/teamArg.jpg)
Line-up against Argentina.
Neeskens, Krol, Van Hanegem, Jansen, Suurbier, Rep,
Rijsbergen, Rensenbrink, Haan, Jongbloed, Cruyff.

The introduction of two Groups of four teams in the Second Phase of the tournament, replacing Quarter- and Semi-Finals, was an innovation of the 1974 World Cup. The winning team from each Group would qualify for the Final. Although the system was to work well enough this time around, with both Groups climaxing in what was effectively a Semi-Final, most observers would agree it added but little to the excitement of the competition, and the idea was to be thoroughly discredited by the Argentina v Peru debacle in 1978 - although in truth it was the scheduling of the games rather than the Group concept that led to the problems.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picarg3.jpg)
Cruijff and the Argentinian captain Perfumo shake hands before the match.

The only way to be sure of progressing was thus to win every game, and this was a task Holland relished, as the action moved to Gelsenkirchen. Argentina were a very enjoyable team to watch in 1974, and had already entertained the world royally in the First Phase of the competition, most notably in their game with Poland - both these superb sides had qualified from a group which had seen Italy eliminated. They were adventurous in attack and their side was packed with talented individuals, the best of whom, Carlos Babington, was unfortunately suspended for this game. They also omitted the brightest of their rising stars, the young forward Mario Kempes - a mistake they would not repeat in 1978. Defender Francisco Sa and midfielder Agustin Balbuena had been in the Independiente team beaten by Ajax for the World Club Championship in 1972.

The steel required to win at this level may still have been four years away (of today's line-up, only substitute Kempes and René Houseman - as a substitute - would play in the 1978 Final), but they sewed the seeds of future success, and international acclaim, during their run in this World Cup, as well as winning many new admirers. They even numbered their players in alphabetic order. The Dutch of 1974, however, knew far too much for them.

Of all the games in the 1974 World Cup, this one, more than any other, encapsulated the sheer brilliance of the Dutch team. In attack, they were just about unstoppable, changing positions constantly, every player confident on the ball, everyone capable of beating an opponent almost at will. Yet, when asked to defend, they were never caught short of numbers, nor did any of the outfield players come near to shirking a single challenge: the Dutch tackling is not always as fondly remembered by their opponents as their attacking play is by their followers, yet it was every bit as crucial to the team's success. This day saw just about the perfect blend of attack and defence, an unmatchable mix of strength, pace, passing, heading, tackling, dribbling, shooting, and, above all, movement, all together in one astonishing team over an unforgettable 90 minutes, just about as close to Michels's vision of total football as they ever came.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picarg9.jpg)
Cruijff expresses disbelief at Ayala's fishing anecdotes.

And at the heart of it all was Cruyff, all over the field, attacking and defending; now darting away from a clumsy attempt at tackling him, now coming deep into his own half to start another attack; now knocking the ball effortlessly 30 or 40 yards to a colleague, now crisply stabbing the ball through a tiny gap in the defence; pointing where he wanted every pass played, where he wanted every player to run; constantly encouraging - or admonishing - his team-mates, or remonstrating with - or placating - opponents and referee; the total captain of the total football team.


Holland's supremacy was evident right from the start. In a pre-echo of the opening goal, Neeskens chipped the ball over the static defence for Cruyff, but, this time, the danger was cleared. Then a slide-rule pass from Cruyff found Rensenbrink drifting free on the right, and the shot from the edge of the box was narrowly over the bar.


Cruyff's inevitable, devastating opening goal was a masterpiece of technique, balance and sheer intelligence. He darted across the Argentinian back line from right to left, picked out Van Hanegems's perfectly weighted chip over the defence, pulled the ball down brilliantly with his right foot, rounded goalkeeper Daniel Carnevali disdainfully, using his right again, and kept his balance superbly to finish coolly with the left foot from a tricky angle.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picarg11.jpg)
Cruijff brings the ball under control...

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picarg12.jpg)
... round Carnevali ...

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picarg13.jpg)
... gets the ball back..

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picarg14.jpg)
... and scores.

[Funki]

... continued.

The Argentinians protested that Rijsbergen's tackle on Hector Yazalde, which had won the ball in the move that led to this goal, should have been called a foul, but the referee had waved play on, and that's what Holland had done.

The Dutch were more or less uncontrollable by now, Argentina not exactly playing badly themselves, but bewildered by what was going on around them. Another brilliant Cruyff pass found Neeskens running free down the right. He cut the ball back to Van Hanegem, who rounded the goalkeeper but, lacking Cruyff's technique, was unable to get a shot in, and instead laid the ball back to Jansen, whose effort was desperately blocked by Enrique Wolff. Jansen exchanged passes with Neeskens, and another last-ditch challenge was required to prevent Holland from extending their lead. Van Hanegem and Rensenbrink combined down the left to create a chance for Neeskens to find the net, only for his goal to be disallowed for a questionable offside. Argentina, shaken and stirred in equal measure, exploded with collective anger when the sometimes rather over-committed Neeskens dived in on Houseman from the wrong side, earning the first yellow card of the game, but the fracas affected Holland's concentration not one jot. Rep set Jansen running through on the right, and the goalkeeper had to dash off his line to clear the ball with his defence in utter disarray.

From the subsequent corner, Carnevali flapped a bit under challenge from Cruyff, but the ball reached the edge of the penalty area, which should have meant safety. Krol, however, was lurking with intent, and unleashed a thunderous shot which, with the aid of a couple of deflections, found its way through a forest of defenders into the back of the net. Rather a lucky goal, perhaps, but hardly more than Holland's performance deserved.

Still Holland's commitment did not wane, as Wolff found out when he was just about cut in two by a (perfectly legitimate) challenge from Krol. The Argentinian full-back struggled on till half-time, but was clearly unlikely to finish the game. Meanwhile, the exhibition continued. Jansen chipped the ball to Rensenbrink, who tested Carnevali to the full, and the half ended with Roberto Perfumo cautioned for hacking Neeskens when he was through on goal, a thoroughly nasty, dangerous foul, and by no means his last offence.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picarg4.jpg)
Cruijff attemting to be the first Dutch player to send one of his own players off.

In the second half, a tropical downpour gave the game an air of unreality (the weather for the latter stages of the World Cup was most unseasonable), but Holland needed a couple more goals to gain what might have been a crucial advantage on goal difference - a lesson well learned from the Qualifying competition. Argentina replaced the casualty Wolff with Ruben Glaria, and Holland replaced the breathtaking attacking football of the first half with a controlled domination that never taxed their own energy resources, but did enough to ensure their opponents never had a sniff at getting back into the game, a different sort of dominance but every bit as complete.

Chances were relatively few. Cruyff took a free-kick out on the left, which Neeskens headed just over. Ruben Ayala, whose almost single-handed resistance for his side did him great credit, managed a weak shot from outside the box, just to see if Jongbloed was still awake. Suurbier was cautioned for a spiteful trip on Roberto Telch, after being roughly treated himself. Kempes belatedly came on for Houseman, just as the rain started to lash it down, and he must have been wondering just what he was expected to do in order to save the game for Argentina. Suffice it to say he didn't. Perhaps to emphasise to the new arrival how difficult was his task, Cruyff took the ball through the defence on his own, to be denied by the outstretched left foot of Carnevali.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picarg8.jpg)
Van Hanegem follows Rep's header over the line.

With the rain now teeming down, Krol set up a move down the left wing, Cruyff's wicked spinning cross went beyond the defenders, and Rep judged his run to perfection, his accurate downward header finally making it 3-0. For Argentina, it just got worse, as Telch was forced to leave the field injured, after they had used both their allowed substitutes. But when Suurbier was caught late by Sa, and limped off, Holland still had the pocket battleship Rinus Israël in reserve to replace him, Rijsbergen briefly reverting to his club position at right-back. Then an injury to Carlos Squeo left the Argentinians with nine fit men, and presumably praying for the game to end.

It didn't. Rep played the ball to Cruyff, who was very marginally given offside. Cruyff, through on his own, was cynically taken out by Perfumo, with the referee, perhaps feeling sorry for the Argentinians, taking no action. A minute later, the Argentinian captain repeated the trick, with still no red card forthcoming. Cruyff, with an exaggerated show of sportsmanship that verged on sarcasm, accepted Perfumo's proffered handshake by way of apology: there was little point in continuing the argument. A fourth Dutch goal was by now inevitable. The move was initiated by an exchange between Neeskens and Rep down the right, the ball moved across the edge of the box until Van Hanegem played a quick one-two with Jansen. Though Carnevali saved Van Hanegem's shot, the ball broke free on the left hand side of the penalty area, and Cruyff was on hand to volley superbly, right-footed from a sharply acute angle. That, finally, was an end to it.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picarg5.jpg)
Cruijff's last goal.

So Argentina, beaten comprehensively yet in no way disgraced, went home to spend four years planning their revenge. They hadn't really played that badly, in any area of the field, it was just that their opponents had played far, far better, in every area.

Holland, with four-goal wins in the last two games, had gone from colourful outsiders to serious contenders for the World Cup itself.

[Funki]

World Cup 1974 Match Reports

Group A, Sunday 30th June 1974 (16.00):

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagHoll.gif) Holland 2 - 0 East Germany (IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagEGer.gif)

Neeskens ('8) [Holland]
Rensenbrink ('59) [Holland]

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teams

Holland:

----------------------------------- 8. Jongbloed ---------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-- 20. Suurbier --------- 17. Rijsbergen -------- 2. Haan --------- 12. Krol -----
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- 6. Jansen --------- 13. Neeskens --------- 3. Van Hanegem -------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------- 16. Rep ------------ 14. Cruyff ---------- 15. Rensenbrink ------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

East Germany:

----------------------- 20. Hoffman ------------ 8. Löwe -------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- 14. Sparwasse ----- 13. Lauck ---------- 7. Pommerenke -------- 18. Kische ---
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--- 6. Schnuphase ------ 4. Weise ------------ 3. Bransch ------- 2. Kurbjuweit --
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------- 1. Croy ---------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Substitutes -
9 Ducke for 8 Löwe 46 mins
10 Kreische for 13 Lauck 76 mins
Unused Dutch Substitutes -
5 Israël 7 De Jong 9 Keizer 11 Willy van de Kerkhof 18 Schrijvers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Referee - Rudolph Scheurer (Switzerland).
Linesmen - Linemayr (Austria), Delgado (Colombia).
Venue - Park Stadium, Gelsenkirchen.
Attendance 69,600.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/gelsenkirchen.jpg)
Park Stadium, Gelsenkirchen.


With Brazil winning their first game in Group A, against East Germany, it was likely they and Holland would meet to decide the place in the Final, unless either slipped up in their respective next matches.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/teamEGer.jpg)
Line-up against East Germany.
Cruyff, Jongbloed, Haan, Rensenbrink, Rijsbergen, Rep,
Suurbier, Jansen, Van Hanegem, Krol, Neeskens.

East Germany, or, to give them their proper name, the German Democratic Republic, had surprised a few people along the way to the last eight, not least their neighbours the host country, whom they had beaten in what was admittedly a "dead" group match, with both sides already qualified for the second phase. Though they seemed to have a surfeit of rather chunkily-built players (their kit, which could be politely described as "retro", did them few favours in this regard), they were all full of running, and all sound of technique. Also, they appeared ready to change positions in a way not dissimilar to that of the Dutch themselves.

The weather in Gelsenkirchen was, again, awful, and this time the rain had soaked through to the pitch before the game started, rendering decent ball control difficult and turning with the ball more or less impossible.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceg2.jpg)
Cruijff shampooing a German defender's hair.

Holland were measured in this game, less exciting than against Argentina or Bulgaria, but no less effective. They played patiently, knowing their superiority would tell in the end against a very decent side, but hardly one in the same class as themselves. It was, essentially, a controlled performance, doing just enough to win, knowing that sterner challenges lay around the corner.

The opening exchanges were even, but an early goal by Neeskens meant Holland could take the game at a canter. Rensenbrink got in a powerful header a corner, only to see his goalbound effort cleared off the line by Jürgen Pommerenke, but Jansen retrieved the ball for Rensenbrink to shoot again. This shot was deflected through to the lurking Neeskens, who struck the ball powerfully with his right foot from the edge of the 6-yard area.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceg10.jpg)
Neeskens's goal.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceg4.jpg)
Neeskens's goal, rear view (that's him on the ground between the goalie and no. 7).

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceg5.jpg)
The usual low-key Dutch celebrations after opening goal.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceger8.jpg)
Another shot of the Dutch celebrations.

The game settled down as best it could in such poor conditions. Neeskens had what appeared a good shout for a penalty rejected, when he was brought down while chasing a low cross. A free-kick from Cruyff way out on the right almost crept in. Cruyff played the ball through to give the advancing Rijsbergen a chance, but goalkeeper Jürgen Croy came off his line confidently to deny the Dutch defender at full stretch. The other nominal centre-back, Haan, came forward, picking up an astute throw-in from Cruyff, and attacked the penalty area dangerously, but his shot was charged down by the massed ranks of German defenders. A flicked header by Rensenbrink from a corner was well saved by Croy. The Germans had one presentable chance at the end of the first half, when Jongbloed made a meal of saving a long, speculative shot by Martin Hoffmann as it bounced off the sodden turf, and was forced to gather smartly as Konrad Weise chased in the rebound.

The second half continued in much the same vein as the first, Holland well in command, but always on the lookout for a clinching second goal. Unusually, the Dutch team kept pretty much constant positions throughout this game (somewhat in contrast to the Germans, as already mentioned), as they closed the game down as effectively as they could without ever ceasing to be a threat themselves.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceger9.jpg)
Rep in action.

[Funki]

...continued.

Rensenbrink evaded a series of tackles and sent the ball towards Jansen, only for the defence to intercept just in time. There was always time for some slapstick defending with this Holland team, and Jongbloed's cavalry charge from his goal to chase Hoffmann down the Dutch left wing provided this game's best entertainment. The goalkeeper's challenge was so late that, if it had made contact, he might just as well have carried on running down the tunnel. Inevitably, Hoffmann knocked the ball out of play himself anyway, but Jongbloed's attempts at punching the slippery ball at corners continued to divert the crowd. He got something on the ball every time, even if it didn't always go exactly where he intended.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceg6.jpg)
Van Hanegem in aerial duel in E.Germany game.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceg7.jpg)
Rensenbrink in action.

East Germany brought on substitute Peter Ducke for Wolfram Löwe, to try and make something happen up front, but it never really seemed they could save a point. Cruyff, winning the ball inside his own half, and Jansen carved out a chance for Rep, but the ball was drilled against the side netting. That the game ended, almost uniquely in the 1974 World Cup, without a single caution was a great credit to two sporting teams, and a fine referee who made generous allowance for the conditions, but, when, following a mix-up in the German defence, Lothar Kurbjuweit fouled Rep crudely, painfully, late and from behind down the Dutch right and escaped admonishment, it did seem the referee had taken discretion a little too far.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceg3.jpg)
Rensenbrink's goal.

Hard though the East Germans had fought, a second goal for Holland was no more than they deserved, and it was particularly apt that one of this day's most effective players, the unselfish Rob Rensenbrink, was the one to score it. Krol played the ball through to Neeskens in the penalty area, then Rep took over, holding the play up and laying the ball perfectly into the path of Rensenbrink for the Dutch striker to sidefoot home what was to be his only goal of the competition.

The Germans, who now surely sensed their World Cup was over, brought on Hans-Jürgen Kreische for one last attempt at regaining the initiative, but really it was exhibition football from here on in. The referee awarded an indirect free-kick against the increasingly scatty Jongbloed, possibly for taking more than four steps, possibly for wasting time, possibly just to liven the game up a bit, but Holland seemed to have about twelve defenders by now, and charged the kick down unceremoniously. Neeskens exchanged passes with Suurbier and bludgeoned his way to the by-line, his clever cut-back being spotted just in time. Finally, Cruyff was dropped by Weise on the edge of the penalty area, and Van Hanegem, strangely destined not to score in this World Cup with one of his many excellent free-kicks, was just a foot away from the top left hand corner.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceg02.jpg)
Cruijff and Jongbloed celebrate after the game.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/piceg07.jpg)
Neeskens milks the applause.

East Germany, in what was to be their only World Cup, had given a creditable account of themselves, but had to bow to the inevitable. Even in cruise control, the Dutch had been far too strong for them. The Germans had only a meaningless game with Argentina to look forward to. For Holland, only one team now stood between them and the World Cup Final.

But what a team.

[Funki]

Group A, Wednesday 3rd July 1974 (19.30):

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagHoll.gif) Holland 2 Brazil 0 (IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagBraz.gif)

Neeskens ('50) [Holland]
Cruijff ('65) [Holland]

Teams:

================8 Jongbloed===================
20 Suurbier==17 Rijsbergen==2 Haan====12 Krol=======
======6 Jansen==13 Neeskens==3 Van Hanegem======
======16 Rep====14 Cruyff====15 Rensenbrink=======

======11 Paulo César Lima===7 Jairzinho==============
10 Rivelino===21 Dirceu===17 Paulo César Carpegiani==13 Valdomiro
6 Marinho Chagas==3 Marinho Peres===2 Pereira====4 Zé Maria
==================1 Leão======================

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Substitutes -
19 Mirandinha for 11 Paulo César Lima 62 mins
5 Israël for 13 Neeskens 84 mins
7 De Jong for 15 Rensenbrink 87 mins
Unused Dutch Substitutes -
1 Geels 10 René van de Kerkhof 18 Schrijvers

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cautioned - Pereira Zé Maria Rep
Sent Off - Pereira


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Referee - Kurt Tschenscher (W.Germany).
Linesmen - Davidson (Scotland), Suppiah (Senegal).
Venue - Westphalia Stadium, Dortmund.
Attendance 53,700.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/dortmund.jpg)
Westphalia Stadium, Dortmund.

This was an epochal game, for at least one young man watching at home in England. I'd been brought up to think of the Brazilians as something special, as a football team head and shoulders above all others. The generation before mine had put them on a pedestal, due to the World Cup wins of 1958 and 1962, and had regarded their being kicked out of the 1966 tournament as nothing less than a crime. In 1970, with the British press going bonkers about England's chances of winning in Mexico, it had come as no surprise to find that Brazil had been better, but the margin of their superiority over not only England but everyone else in the world had shocked the entire planet.

And yet, by 1974, the mantle had slipped more than somewhat. Aware of - perhaps obsessed by - what had happened to them in England in 1966, the Brazil team of this era (which still included Jairzinho and Rivelino from the class of 1970) is most often remembered in Britain for the brutality of their Group 2 game against Scotland. Maybe this might have been a one-off, we all thought, but, by the end of the second phase, it was clear that this Brazil side, in addition to not being anywhere near the equals of their predecessors in footballing terms, were also a rather unpleasant team to play against, or even to watch. Most disconcertingly, they even took the field for this game in rather ugly-looking dark blue shirts, giving further vent to the feeling that, in 1974, this somehow wasn't quite the real Brazil, not the Brazil of Pelé, Tostão and Gerson, of The Beautiful Game. I'd never seen them play in anything but the famous yellow shirts - maybe I'd imagined there was some rule that said Brazil always wore yellow no matter against whom they were playing.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/teamBraz.jpg)
Line-up against Brazil.
Cruyff, Jongbloed, Haan, Rensenbrink, Rijsbergen, Rep,
Suurbier, Jansen, Van Hanegem, Krol, Neeskens.

In keeping with FIFA's obsession with tampering with kits, Holland also changed their shirts, into white (though they kept their orange socks), and managed to look even cooler in white than they did in orange. Inevitably.

With Holland needing only a draw to reach the Final (on goal difference), the game was fierce and competitive, the first half a catalogue of savage fouls, largely unpunished by the thoroughly uninvolved referee, and other than that notable only for a series of missed chances.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picBraz3.jpg)
Cruijff looking rather cooler than a Brazilian defender.

Both sides had their moments in the tense opening period: Zé Maria failed to deal with an early cross, and the ball dropped invitingly to Cruyff, whose snapshot was saved well by Leão; Neeskens took the ball off a defender, but shot wide. Brazil's attacks were perhaps rather more incisive: Valdomiro rounded Haan, Jongbloed flapped at the ball, and was relieved to see it ricochet to safety after being half-blocked by Krol; but Jongbloed dealt more convincingly at the near post with his next challenge, a long-range shot from Valdomiro.

Holland relied on their offside trap even more than in previous games, but the World Champions had been well briefed, and opened the defence up rather too often. Dirceu put Paulo César Lima through, to shoot wide with Jongbloed beaten.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picbraz6.jpg)
Rijsbergen goes to ground.

The game was rough and tough right from the start. Van Hanegem found Suurbier in a good position on the left. The shot was saved at the near post, before Suurbier's admittedly late challenge on Pereira provoked a savage kick from the Brazilian defender. On the next Dutch attack, Rep, having been balked off the ball, decided to run into Pereira for no good reason other than to further ruffle the Brazilian feathers. As the action moved upfield, Krol fouled Valdomiro, and nearly incited an international incident. The referee had lost control of the game early, and never looked like regaining it.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picbraz7.jpg)
Can't actually tell which Dutch player is the victim of this eye-watering tackle, but I bet it still hurts today.

Suurbier crossed from the right, and Rensenbrink volleyed on target, Leão equal to his task again, but there was little football getting played now, as the conflict settled into a war of attrition. Jansen created a goalscoring chance for Cruyff, who was comically rugby tackled by Zé Maria, the Brazilian right-back being cautioned. At a Dutch free-kick, Neeskens challenged (Mario) Marinho Peres with his feet undoubtedly high, but what followed was out of all proportion to the Dutchman's misdemeanour. As the players trundled down the other end, the Brazilian captain elbowed him full in the face, knocking him to the ground, where he remained unmoving for a long time. That the referee didn't see this despicable foul may have been understandable, but for the linesman to miss it (or to neglect to inform the referee about it) was disgraceful. Players milled about everywhere in time-honoured football fashion, Brazilians (other than Peres) affecting concern for the stricken Neeskens, Dutchmen wandering up, demonstrating to the referee what had happened, and perhaps suggesting what might happen if no action was forthcoming, while Cruyff, ever the diplomat, did a far better job of restoring order than the overwhelmed match officials. After a lengthy hiatus, Neeskens got back to his feet, looking shocked and shaken. As soon as the game restarted, of course, he was throwing himself into tackles with a vengeance, as ever, which seemed to upset Brazil even more. Shortly after this, Jansen was cynically and brutally taken out by Peres's shoulder as he closed in on the Brazilian goal, with the referee still frozen into inaction. On the half-time whistle, Peres picked up the ball and ran down the tunnel as if he feared for his life!

As the second period wore on, though, it became increasingly evident that Holland were far stronger, far more determined, and, if calling them more disciplined wouldn't be quite accurate, at least they were far less indisciplined than their opponents. One of the myths about this Dutch team was that they weren't quite up to the physical side of the game, but tonight, once Brazil had started the rough stuff, it was returned with interest. There is one illuminating close-up video clip in existence of Rivelino raising his knee to Rep as the players pass. The choirboy-faced Rep waits his chance, when the Brazilian's (and the referee's) back is turned, and calmly elbows him in the face. All this happens while the ball is bouncing from one end to the other, without coming near to either player. There had been other examples before in this tournament of the Dutch players offering proof that cynical, off-the-ball fouls and brilliant football skills are not incompatible. Neeskens's assailant Marinho Peres, for example, unaccountably ended the game with a gashed ankle, the accident which caused this wound going unnoticed by any camera. The Dutch met fire with fire: if they hadn't they'd have been burned.


The first Dutch goal, early in the second half, was a gem. Rijsbergen, tackling harder than most even in this game, took Jarizinho's ankle, greatly to the Brazilian's displeasure. A minute later, Jairzinho went in on Rijsbergen with only one thought on his mind, and duly conceded a free-kick. Van Hanegem took the kick quickly, deep inside his own half, to Neeskens, who played the ball out to Cruyff on the right. Cruyff measured to perfection the chip into the box, onto the exact blade of grass where the onrushing Neeskens wanted it, but Neeskens still did brilliantly to meet the ball at exactly the right weight and exactly the right angle to float it over the advancing Brazilian goalkeeper, most of whose team-mates were stood around at the other end, arguing about the free-kick. An extraordinary, inspired and memorable goal, and it led to a exuberant celebration.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picbraz8.jpg)
Neeskens and Cruijff celebrating.

Neeskens, having now recovered fully from his first half tribulations, sent in a long shot after a corner: it reared up off the turf at Leão, but the alert goalkeeper saw it all the way. At the other end, Jairzinho slipped past the Dutch defence at a free-kick, to fall into what was now a rather more effective offside trap. He also whacked Rijsbergen again right in front of the referee, who incredibly still could not summon the courage to even caution such a persistent offender. Brazil brought on Mirandinha for Paulo César Lima, as they fought to retain their hold on the World Cup, but still made little impression on the stern and well-drilled Dutch defence. Although (Francisco) Marinho Chagas's deep cross from the left was fisted away by Jongbloed, the opportunities for Brazil were now few and far between.

Pereira ran through the Dutch defence, but was flagged offside, whereupon he picked up the ball and ranted at the referee. From the briskly-taken free-kick, while the Brazilians still argued fatuously, Van Hanegem put Cruyff clear of the Brazilian defence. The linesman's flag quickly went up for this too, but Cruyff, ever the cool one, chipped the ball into the Brazilian net from 40 yards, just to remind his opponents what they were up against. For me, this exchange summed the game up perfectly.

The second Dutch goal left a certain impression on the memory too. Krol found Rensenbrink in space down the left. He turned, as the Brazilians appealed again for offside, and laid the ball into the path of Krol, who sprinted down the wing. Cruyff met the cross perfectly to beat the goalkeeper from close range, somehow hitting it hard and true with his right foot when it appeared he'd have to use his left. Rensenbrink, however, pulled up injured after this move, to be replaced by Theo de Jong as Holland decided to close the game down a bit.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picBraz.jpg)
The second Dutch goal.

[Funki]

... continued.

The reigning world champions were beaten, as far as the football went, but still had time to surrender what was left of their dignity. Their willingness to dish out fouls was not matched by their ability to take punishment in return: every time a Dutchman committed an offence, a Brazilian crashed to earth and rolled about until play moved on, when he quickly recovered.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picBraz2.jpg)
The second Dutch goal was so good, it was worth seeing twice.

For those who had witnessed the joyful, carefree Brazil team of 1970, this game ended up a truly dispiriting spectacle. Valdomiro stamped at Krol, then Rivelino (not exactly a pale shadow of the player he'd been in 1970, more a dark shadow) clattered Cruyff, and was in turn fouled by Rep, who was cautioned. Valdomiro had another nibble at Krol's ankles. A clever pass by De Jong, quickly adjusting to the pace and temperature of the game, found Rep running at goals, to be taken out again by Marinho Peres. Suurbier fouled Marinho Chagas from behind, and was studded in the face by the Brazilian full-back for his pains: during the ensuing melée, Neeskens (inevitably!) was kicked to the ground by Valdomiro, with the referee of course unsighted. Cruyff set off on another through run, Peres couldn't even get near enough to foul him, but Paulo César Carpegiani brought him down instead, with the ball 30 yards away. Rivelino had now pretty much lost any vestige of self-control he ever had, and launched himself through the air at Cruyff, who prudently jumped out of the way, but Neeskens, following in, challenged the Brazilian along the ground, and was promptly flattened. A spate of foul and counter-foul outside the Dutch penalty area ended with Rivelino bouncing off Haan, and throwing himself to the ground. Of course, he won a free-kick, but blazed it just wide of the goal, though Jongbloed would probably tell you he had it covered.

Luís Pereira finally managed to get himself sent off, for an alehouse challenge on Neeskens, waist-high, studs first, and so late it might have been early for next time.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picbraz5.jpg)
Four years on from those memorable goals in the 1970 Final, this was how Brazil's rain as a World Champion came to an unlamented end.

Pereira stood around for a long time before he could be persuaded to quit the field, pausing even then for a slanging match with the Dutch supporters and the bench. Once he saw Israël was getting stripped for action though, he decided to get down the tunnel quickly! Neeskens would take no further part in the game, and Michels brought on another defender to see out the last few minutes. Sadly, this would be Israël's last international appearance.

The contest wasn't quite over. Marinho Chagas flicked the ball over the defence, and Jongbloed, hitherto confidence itself, fumbled nervously as he tried to collect the ball. Chagas writhed in agony for a while after the "challenge", but the referee was not impressed. Israël, always keen to make a new friend, found Mirandinha keener on talking to him than he was on playing football: a contemptuous shrug of the Dutchman's broad shoulders was all he got for his efforts at provoking a confrontation. With the game increasingly confused, Brazil had Wilson Piazza warming up for the last few minutes, but it doesn't appear he got on the field, Holland's possession football ensuring the ball didn't go out of play for long intervals. In the dying minutes, Jairzinho even managed to foul the utterly inoffensive Jongbloed, hacking the goalkeeper's ankles as he ambled out to clear another speculative through ball. The crowd, strongly pro-Holland of course, were so incensed after this one they refused to return the ball, even when Cruyff intervened, and another had to be found. At this point, the referee decided to blow the whistle. There were few handshakes as the players trooped off.

This had been an intense, passionate, pivotal game, with, it seemed, the old world order swept away by the new, the favourite team of the previous generation turned sour and being blown away by the exciting champions of my own experience. Or so it seemed at the time.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picBraz4.jpg)
Dutch players and substitutes celabrate after the final wistle.

Brazil would of course recover in time, to be a brilliant, spectacular and, above all, loved team again, but I could never think of them in quite the same way after this game.

[Funki]

The Final of the '74 World Cup



Final, Sunday 7th July 1974 (16.00):

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagHoll.gif) Holland 1 West Germany 2 (IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/flagWGer.gif)

Neeskens ('2) [Holland] - Penalty
Breitner ('25) [Germany] - Penalty
Müller ('43) [Germany]

Teams:

================8 Jongbloed===================
20 Suurbier==17 Rijsbergen==2 Haan====12 Krol=======
======6 Jansen==13 Neeskens==3 Van Hanegem======
======16 Rep====14 Cruyff====15 Rensenbrink=======

======17 Hölzenbein==13 Müller===9 Grabowski======
======12 Overath===14 Hoeness===16 Bonhof=======
3 Breitner====5 Beckenbauer===4 Schwarzenbeck===2 Vogts
===================1 Maier=================

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Substitutes -
10 René van de Kerkhof for 15 Rensenbrink 46 mins
7 De Jong for 17 Rijsbergen 69 mins
Unused Dutch Substitutes -
1 Geels 5 Israël 18 Schrijvers

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Cautioned - Vogts Van Hanegem Neeskens Cruyff

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Referee - Jack Taylor (England).
Linesmen - Baretto (Uruguay), Gonzalez (Mexico).
Venue - Olympic Stadium, Munich.
Attendance 80,000.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/munich.jpg)
Olympic Stadium, Munich.

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Few football matches have had as many words written about them as this one, but, for me, no writer has ever completely rationalised the events of this glorious, tragic game - and I'm not about to try. Let's just say history and legend overlapped for 90 unforgettable minutes.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picwger0.jpg)
Cruijff and Beckenbauer exchange penants.

Germany were the European Champions, their 1972 team being hailed as both successful and innovative in their day, their demolition of England in the Quarter-Finals still recalled in this country as an astonishing exposition of how far Europe had progressed since 1966. Their commitment to the new "total" football was less cavalier than that of the Dutch, the "mobile sweeper", Franz Beckenbauer, playing behind the defence rather than in front, as was generally the case with Haan. Berti Vogts, Georg Schwarzenbeck, Paul Breitner and Beckenbauer made up the defence, with the one and only Sepp Maier in goal. It had taken a couple of false starts in this tournament for their midfield to get settled, but there's no rule against that, and in Wolfgang Overath, Uli Hoeness and Rainer Bonhof, they now surely boasted three of the strongest midfielders in the world. They had the extraordinarily prolific Gerd Müller up front, with Jürgen Grabowski and Bernd Hölzenbein flanking him, although neither could truly be described as out and out strikers. They included in their team no less than six players (Maier, Schwarzenbeck, Beckenbauer, Breitner, Hoeness and Müller) from the Bayern Munich team which had just won the European Cup, and they were of course playing at home. How could anybody, even Holland, expect to beat them?

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/teamWGer.jpg)
The Dutch were a bit surprised when Germany took the field as a Bavarian oompah band.

The Dutch side was the same as it had been for the last four games, in spite of the battering they had taken from Brazil. There had been much doubt as to whether Rensenbrink would play. It was said De Jong would start, giving the side a more defensive look, then it was announced Keizer would get the nod. In fact, Rensenbrink started, though he lasted only the first half, and his replacement (to Keizer's eternal chagrin) was René van de Kerkhof, only the fifteenth player Holland had used in the competition.

The game started late due to the lack of corner flags in the Olympic Stadium, perhaps a most a typical example of poor organisation by the competition organisers, or possibly a crafty piece of gamesmanship from the hosts - either way, it makes a good quiz question thirty years on.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWGer1.jpg)
Cruijff goes down for the Dutch penalty.

It has never been forgotten that Holland were a goal up before Germany touched the ball. Cruyff, who, with typical disrespect for convention, was the deepest Dutch player on the field when he received the ball, strolled upfield, accelerated suddenly and dashed into the penalty area.

Although Vogts was pursuing him, trailing in his wake, it was Hoeness who made the desperate challenge - and he needed to, as Cruyff was by now virtually certain to score one of the goals of the competition.

Cruyff duly went flying, and referee Jack Taylor pointed to the spot. Beckenbauer is said to have turned to the referee and said, "You are an Englishman", an undeniably accurate statement but also a cunning piece of spontaneous footballing psychology designed no doubt to increase the pressure on the honest official should, say, Germany have a penalty claim in the near future.

Neeskens was, as ever, deadly from 12 yards, his well-struck penalty more or less central, with Maier diving forlornly to his right.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWGer2.jpg)
Neeskens scores from the penalty spot.

Straight after the opening goal, Vogts was spoken to by the referee for a couple of bites at Cruyff in quick succession, and, when he lashed out a third time, Mr Taylor brandished the yellow card. In general, though, critics are in agreement that the Germans, rather than panicking at this turn of events, deserve great credit for the way they stuck to their task, future national coach Vogts in particular putting his early indiscretions behind him and eventually playing Cruyff out of the game.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWGera.jpg)
(left to right) Van Hanegem, Rijsbergen, Müller, Bonhof and Neeskens.

Cruyff, however, has said he (and/or Michels) decided he'd play in a "self-sacrificing" role in this game, presumably meaning he dropped deeper than usual to bring the midfield players into the game. The Dutch have also pointed out that several of their key players, notably sweeper Haan, were less than a hundred percent fit.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWGer8.jpg)
Cruijff takes the ball past Vogts.

Without wanting to be too judgmental about the game (it was only a football match, after all!), it seems fair to say that Holland slackened off a bit after going a goal up, surrendering the initiative to the Germans. With Cruyff deep, and the half-fit Rensenbrink a bit off his game, there was no lack of effort, but the incisive runs off the ball were conspicuous by their absence; in previous games, the Dutch players were running onto through passes even before the idea of playing the pass had occurred to the man in possession, but now, everyone seemed to be waiting for someone else to make that killer run: at least, that's how I remember it.

Possibly the memories of the 1973 European Cup Final, when Ajax had scored very early and subsequently coasted to an easy 1-0 victory, were a a bit too fresh in certain players' minds. Maybe they just paid the German defenders too much respect.

Holland began to rely on their own defence, in which Rijsbergen, allotted the task of marking Müller, was magnificent, frustrating his distinguished opponent with a series of meaty but well-timed tackles.

As the game got going, Neeskens fouled Bonhof a couple of times, to ensure the temperature started to rise. A solo run from the dangerous Breitner culminated in a shot that sailed well over the bar. Rep created a chance, tapping the ball along the ground to Neeskens, but the massed German defence bundled him off the ball. Haan played a one-two with Van Hanegem, but play was called back for a foul on Schwarzenbeck. Rijsbergen and Müller locked horns on the edge of the penalty area, both turned and twisted and fell over. Who had fouled whom was anybody's guess, but the Dutch defender had clearly got the worst of it. Müller ranted at the referee, who awarded him the free-kick, whereupon Van Hanegem unwisely shoved the German striker in the back, Müller, after a couple of seconds delay, fell to the ground as if he'd been shot, then got up and chased after the linesman, demanding he tell the referee what had transpired. Van Hanegem was duly cautioned, but it was an episode that did Müller little credit, and it all contributed the increasing friction between the sides. But what happened next has been the subject of controversy for a quarter of a century.

History tells us that Hölzenbein cut into the Dutch penalty area, Jansen made contact with him, and the referee gave a penalty to the home side. The Dutch accused Hölzenbein of "looking for" the penalty, of "drawing" the foul from Jansen. Well, Jansen clearly lunged at the ball, clearly missed it, and clearly made contact with the German attacker, a player who, to be polite, was not exactly famous for riding tackles. (Chris Freddi, in The Complete Book of the World Cup, describes Hölzenbein as "a notorious diver in the Bundesliga", but concedes that Jack Taylor could not have been expected to know about this reputation.)

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWGerj.jpg)
The highlight of Holzenbein's career.

[Funki]

... continued.

But did Jansen intend to commit a foul or was he caught by the wiliness of a shrewd player who seemed to change direction just as the challenge came in? Taylor himself said he thought Jansen wasn't going for the ball, which does stretch credulity a bit, and the initial reaction of other Dutch players, their ire seemingly directed towards their colleague rather than German or referee, is possibly a touch more significant. All I can offer to the debate is that Jansen caught his opponent around the ankle, but the fall was consistent with being taken out at about waist height. With an anti-tank missile. Whichever, this hugely controversial incident took about 2 seconds, and is still shown on television from time to time, so you can make up your own mind!

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picwgerq.jpg)
Holzenbein looks up to see the verdict of the jury ... sorry, referee.

Breitner's penalty was the first goal the opposition had scored against Holland in the competition. Jongbloed's somewhat half-hearted attempts at saving the penalty can perhaps be explained by the fact that Cruyff pointed him to go to his left, and Breitner rather unsportingly sent it the other way.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWGere.jpg)
Breitner's penalty.


A view from behind the other goal.

The Dutch were rattled. Maybe if they could have got to half-time, and Michels could have reorganised a bit, they could have gone on to win, but the Germans seemed to sense that victory could be theirs by the interval, and applied ever more pressure. Vogts, not resting on his defensive laurels, broke through on the left wing, ghosted past Neeskens, and his shot required a one-handed save from Jongbloed. Grabowski crossed from the right to Hölzenbein, and it took an urgent defensive header from Rep to save the day. Overath's deep cross from the left was fumbled by Jongbloed, and had to be hacked clear. Hoeness rounded Haan, and cut into the box, Rijsbergen intercepting. When Grabowski was fouled by Van Hanegem, Beckenbauer's chipped free-kick was punched clear by Jongbloed. At this point, Germany were, in all frankness, well on top. Instead of pressing their early advantage, Holland had allowed the Germans to regroup, and maybe now they were paying for it.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWGerf.jpg)
The Dutch wall for Beckenbauer's free kick.

But, against the run of play, Holland found themselves presented with a chance. Rijsbergen broke up yet another German attack, and left the ball to Van Hanegem, whose long pass caught the defence uncharacteristically undermanned. Cruyff and Rep broke through with only Beckenbauer and Maier to beat, Cruyff famously committed Beckenbauer and squared the ball to his striking partner when he might have scored himself, and Rep, infamously, blasted it straight at Maier. The German goalkeeper, though fortunate on that occasion, was virtually unbeatable on this day. In later years, Rep somewhat ungallantly suggested Cruyff only released the ball to him because he shirked a one-to-one confrontation with the Kaiser; and presumably found himself removed from the Cruyff family's Christmas card list.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWGer7.jpg)
Rep's legendary miss.

The German domination of the game continued. After a corner, the ball broke back to Hoeness, the corner taker, and, though the linesman flagged, he was overruled by the referee, who was much further from the incident. Mercifully, Jongbloed saved the resultant shot. With tension overflowing, Neeskens fouled Hölzenbein from behind, and was cautioned: the authoritative Mr Taylor was determined to maintain order, and had done well enough up to this point, but by now was struggling to keep the game under control.

The second, decisive goal came just before the break, as Bonhof went away down the right with sweeper Haan, not Krol, in pursuit, and cut the ball back into the box, taking Rijsbergen out of the play. Müller swivelled effortlessly away from the isolated last defender Krol, and poked the ball past Jongbloed, who stood rooted to the spot, even though the ball missed him by about a foot, as if he didn't realise the other team were allowed to shoot at him.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWGer3.jpg)
Müller's winning goal.

Should Haan have stopped Bonhof, by fair means or foul, outside the box? Would Krol have done better staying on his feet? Might Jongbloed have saved the shot, had he but dived? Would Schrijvers have saved it? Would Hulshoff have better stood his ground against Müller?

Müller's goal again.

No-one can ever answer these questions, nor, it seems, can anyone explain what Cruyff was grumbling about when he was cautioned for dissent at the half-time whistle. Van Hanegem had kicked the ball towards the referee with just a little more force on it than Mr Taylor had been expecting, and Cruyff felt it necessary to intervene on behalf of a colleague who had already been booked, but seemed to prolong the dialogue unnecessarily. The Dutch had, for a brief few minutes, lost the plot, and it was to cost them the World Cup.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picwgerh.jpg)
Taylor asking Cruijff his name: 'And how do you spell that, son?'

The second half was as gripping a game as I've ever seen. Germany made chances against an increasingly frantic Dutch defence, but couldn't wrap the game up with a third goal. Holland settled gamely to their task of carving out another gap through the German defence, which had seemed so easy in the first minute, and still looked every minute as if a further breach were imminent, but the scoreline stayed unchanged.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picWGer4.jpg)
German goalkeeper Maier in action, at the feet of Cruijff.

Maier again, beating Haan in the air.

Substitute René van de Kerkhof generally operated down the left, only occasionally persuading Rep to switch sides, while Cruyff began to add his presence to the attack more regularly. Suurbier hauled Overath down: it looked a bad foul, but the Dutch full-back looked suitably contrite, and escaped a booking. Bonhof found himself criminally unmarked at a corner, the header drifting narrowly wide of the post with Jongbloed rooted to the spot. Cruyff, chasing half a chance, dived in on Maier, and, though he had clearly gone for a loose ball, he was surrounded by protesting German defenders. Hölzenbein found himself through one-on-one with Suurbier, Jongbloed seizing the opportunity to make one of his celebrated charges out of goal to clear the danger. Maier fumbled a Dutch corner, Breitner being forced to head off the line. Van Hanegem got in a dangerous downward header from a Cruyff free-kick, which the grounded Maier was rather fortunate to save as the ball bounced up at him. Grabowski beat Krol down the German right, and zipped the ball to Müller, who found the net only to have play brought back for offside: though the Germans did not protest at the time, slow-motion replays after the game proved beyond any doubt that the linesman was wrong, and this goal should have stood.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picwgero.jpg)
The goal that never was.

Van de Kerkhof crossed from the right wing, Cruyff headed back across the goal, and Rep was challenged at the last moment. The Dutch had clearly had a problem with Rijsbergen for some time, and he now finally limped off. His replacement was not Israël, as might have been predicted, but De Jong, with Jansen dropping into the defence. Neeskens intercepted a rare stray pass from Overath, and his low cross forced Beckenbauer into a hurried header, which narrowly missed his own goal. Van de Kerkhof crossed from the left, Rep knocked the ball across the goal, to find Neeskens virtually under the crossbar, but the chance was scrambled clear. Another left wing move from Van de Kerkhof found Neeskens unmarked beyond the far post, but the volley was into the side netting. Van Hanegem won the ball and made a chance for De Jong, who could only shoot disappointingly straight at the grateful Maier. Suurbier crossed from the right, Cruyff knocked the ball down to give Van de Kerkhof a clear sight of goal, which the substitute wasted, screwing his shot horribly wide. A Dutch free-kick was headed out of defence into the path of Haan, who drove over the bar.

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picwgerp.jpg)
De Jong and Neeskens foiled by Maier - but just what is that thing in the crowd behind Overath?

(IMG:http://easyweb.easynet.co.uk/~goldkeep/Holland74/picwgerl.jpg)
The final whistle blow.

So, at the end of the game, it was Germany who were presented with the new World Cup trophy, and Holland who were left to lick their wounds and contemplate what might have been. But, however it was portrayed at the time, the Germans' win can't be written off as simply a triumph for the old dull, defensive school of football over the new, exciting, attacking style - it was, after all, only two years since their European Championship win that had itself been hailed as a success for the "new" football - nor was it merely what you could call "lucky" - Holland might have won, certainly, but they might have lost other games along the way to the Final, had the dice rolled differently, and, their territorial dominance notwithstanding, they could even have lost this game by more than one goal.

Beckenbauer with World Cup.

There's no rule in football that says the best team has to win, nor that the team who has the greater share of the play, or makes the more chances, or wears the brighter shirts, is bound to score more goals. That's part of the attraction of the game, but sometimes it works for your team, sometimes against it. On this day, my team, the Dutch team, fell foul of this rule, but this fate was far from unprecedented, even in the World Cup: there are many who say the Hungarians suffered a similar fate in 1954, and, to be fair to the Germans, few outside these shores would seriously argue that England had been the best team in the world in 1966.

Helmut Schon and Franz Beckenbauer argue over who gets to put the World Cup on their mantelpiece.

And as for the comparisons between Cruyff and Beckenbauer, you might just as well compare Van Gogh with Beethoven. Cruyff reasserted his deserved reputation as the best team player in the world, while Beckenbauer enhanced his status as a leader. No player ever wins a football match, only a team.

Beckenbauer and Cruijff.

Holland, the team, had lost the Final to West Germany, because the Germans, on the day, had scored more goals, it's that simple. What's clear, to me anyway, is that, even in defeat, they had written their name large in the annals of football legend. The game's over, it can never be replayed; the Dutch team of 1974 will never get another chance to win the World Cup, but, as long as the game is played on this earth, it will never be forgotten.

The Dutch line up for their runners-up medals.


In the end, you can't ask more than that.

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Final Appearances: Cruyff, Haan, Van Hanegem, Jansen, Jongbloed, Krol, Neeskens, Rep, Rijsbergen, Suurbier - 6 each; Rensenbrink - 5; Keizer - 1.
As Sub: De Jong - 4 ; Israël - 3; René van de Kerkhof - 1.
Goals: Neeskens - 5; Rep - 4; Cruyff - 3; De Jong, Krol, Rensenbrink - 1 each.