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#4 West Germany 2-1 Netherlands (1974 Final)
The final of 1974 FIFA World Cup was more about Netherlands' loss than the host West Germany's win. Johan Cruyff and co., with their concept of 'Total Football', seemed flawless on paper. But names like Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, and Wolfgang Overath made the Germans a force to reckon with too.
In the match, the Dutch drew first blood with a Johan Neeskens' penalty. But their arrogance, combined with their opponent's tenacity, cost them big time. The hosts not only equalised but also took the lead before halftime. For the next 45 minutes, Netherlands tried every possible move in their arsenal but to no avail.
The final score read two goals to one in favor of West Germany, who won their second title. For the Dutch, this was the first of three world cup finals they would lose without a positive result. Most importantly, it was the end of Johan Cruyff's FIFA World Cup career, who went down in history as the greatest player to never win the ultimate price.
