The 1974 World Cup in Germany

The Clockwork Orange in Action

In the 1974 World Cup held in Germany, the spotlight and global attention were undoubtedly on Johan Cruyff's Clockwork Orange (La Naranja Mecánica). The Dutch team was the clear favorite to win the tournament.

This year marked the debut of the FIFA World Cup Trophy, replacing the Jules Rimet Trophy, which Brazil had claimed permanently in 1970.

The USSR refused to play against Chile in Santiago's National Stadium, previously used as a concentration camp and site of executions. The USSR protested to FIFA, arguing that playing in a location associated with human rights violations was unsafe and unethical. As a result, the USSR was excluded from the 1974 tournament.

One of the rare highlights of this World Cup was a match between the two Germanies, with East Germany triumphing 1–0 over West Germany.

Participating Teams: 16

West Germany
East Germany
Bulgaria
Scotland
Netherlands
Italy
Poland
Sweden
Yugoslavia
Argentina
Brazil
Chile
Haiti
Uruguay
Australia
Zaire

The Final

Held in Munich, the final between West Germany and the Netherlands was thrilling. The Dutch scored first with a penalty but grew overconfident. Breitner equalized, and Müller delivered the decisive 2–1 goal, leaving everyone stunned. No one could believe the mighty and seemingly invincible Netherlands had lost—much like Hungary's shocking defeat to Switzerland 20 years earlier.